Thread Electrode Assembly with Retractable Needle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing neurological monitoring electrodes are incompatible with CT scans and MRIs, pose risks of 'needle stick' injuries, and require manual insertion, which complicates patient care and accuracy of measurements.
Innovation Solution
An electrode assembly featuring a retractable needle that carries and deploys a thin, conductive thread electrode, allowing safe, precise, and MRI-compatible attachment to the patient's body, with a protective cover to prevent needle exposure and a spring-loaded mechanism for easy insertion and removal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional electrodes are used for neurological monitoring, then signal detection is achieved, but compatibility with CT scans and MRIs is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is divided into two separate components: a needle for insertion and a thread electrode for signal detection. The needle is removed after deployment, leaving only the thin thread electrode in place. This segmentation allows the signal-detecting component to be extremely thin and MRI/CT compatible, while the insertion function is performed by a separate, disposable needle.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful or incompatible component (the metal needle) is extracted from the continuous system. The needle serves only as a delivery mechanism that is removed after deployment, leaving behind only the biocompatible, imaging-compatible thread electrode. This extraction eliminates the conflict between insertion effectiveness and imaging compatibility.
2Ease of operation
If manual insertion of electrodes is performed, then placement flexibility is maintained, but risk of needle stick injuries increases
Solution Approach 1:
A delivery device acts as an intermediary between the operator and the needle electrode. The device holds the needle in a protected state during handling and deployment, automatically advancing it into the tissue. After deployment, the needle is retracted into the housing, removing the sharp component from exposure and eliminating the needle stick hazard while maintaining precise placement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The delivery device is designed to automatically perform the insertion function through a simple triggering mechanism. The operator loads the pre-assembled needle-thread electrode into the device, and upon activation, the device self-propels the needle into the target location and automatically retracts it, eliminating the need for manual needle handling and reducing operator exposure to sharp objects.
3Productivity
If spring-loaded insertion devices are used, then insertion speed is improved, but complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
The spring-loaded propulsion mechanism is integrated directly into the needle housing rather than being a separate external device. The housing itself serves as both the protective case and the propulsion chamber, with the spring positioned inside to push the needle forward. This merging eliminates the need for separate delivery mechanisms and reduces overall device complexity while maintaining rapid insertion capability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables quick, accurate, and safe electrode placement compatible with MRI and CT scans, reducing the risk of 'needle stick' injuries and improving measurement accuracy while maintaining signal quality.
Implementation Method 1
The needle may be secured in a housing in such a way that it may be retracted back within the housing from an extended position in which one end is extended from the housing for the user to insert into the patient's body while it remains attached to a spring inside the housing
Data Source
AI summary
An electrode assembly includes a needle and a conductive thread electrode carried in a slot on the surface of the needle. The needle pushes the thread electrode into the body and leaves it in place when the needle is removed. The needle is secured in a housing in a retracted position and moved to an extended position by a latch. In the extended position, one end of the needle remains in the housing and the other end extends from the housing. The needle is attached to a spring inside the housing and is moved by the latch against the urging of the spring to the extended position and locked in place. A protective cover is applied over the needle while extended and removed to insert the needle into the body of a patient.