Tissue Anchor Deployment Catheter for Endoscopic Gastrointestinal Procedures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical methods for gastrointestinal disorders, such as morbid obesity, face challenges in securely anchoring tissue folds due to the need for engaging stronger tissue layers like muscularis and serosa, while minimizing tissue damage and reducing procedure time, especially when performed endoscopically or transesophageally.
Innovation Solution
A flexible, torqueable catheter with a tissue manipulation assembly featuring pivotable jaw members and a launch tube that articulates to grasp and secure tissue, allowing for the deployment of tissue anchors that engage the muscularis and serosa layers, and a needle assembly for precise anchoring and suturing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional sewing devices are used to suture the stomach wall, then tissue can be secured into folds, but the procedure requires extensive training and significant time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical sewing devices and suturing techniques with a specialized anchor deployment system. The anchor device with its specific deployment mechanism substitutes the complex manual suturing process, reducing the need for extensive surgical training while maintaining tissue securement reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces tissue anchors as intermediary elements between the stomach wall layers. These anchors serve as mediators that secure tissue folds without requiring direct suturing of the tissue layers themselves, simplifying the procedure while maintaining securement reliability.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If anchors are placed transesophageally to avoid puncturing adjacent tissue, then tissue damage is minimized, but it becomes difficult to engage the tough stomach wall and strong tissue layers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the deployment parameters and approach by using a catheter-based delivery system that can navigate the esophagus and position anchors precisely. The anchor design includes features that enable engagement of the stomach wall through the catheter, maintaining minimal tissue damage while overcoming the difficulty of engaging tough tissue layers from a transesophageal approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter serves as an intermediary tool that facilitates anchor deployment through the esophagus to the stomach wall. This intermediary device enables the anchor to reach and engage the target tissue layers without requiring direct puncture or complex manipulation, reducing tissue damage while maintaining deployment feasibility.
3Ease of operation
If multiple intubations are performed to complete procedures endoscopically, then tissue access is achieved, but procedure time and patient anesthesia duration increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single integrated catheter-based delivery system. The device integrates tissue access, anchor deployment, and tissue securement capabilities in one system, eliminating the need for multiple separate intubations and procedures, thereby reducing overall procedure time while maintaining tissue access capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The catheter-based delivery system is designed with multi-functionality, serving as both the access tool and the deployment mechanism for tissue anchors. This universal device performs multiple functions that would otherwise require separate instruments and procedures, reducing procedure time and anesthesia duration.
4Reliability
If conventional anchors are used that require tissue plication before placement, then tissue can be secured, but the anchors cannot be placed during the actual plication procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables preliminary positioning of the anchor device during the plication procedure itself, rather than requiring separate steps. The delivery system is designed to place anchors during the actual tissue folding process, integrating the securement action with the plication action to improve procedure efficiency while maintaining securement reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus for securing and deploying tissue anchors are described herein. A tissue manipulation assembly is pivotably coupled to the distal end of a tubular member. A reconfigurable launch tube is also pivotably coupled to the tissue manipulation assembly, which may be advanced through a shape-lockable endoscopic device, a conventional endoscope, or directly by itself into a patient. A second tool can be used in combination with the tissue manipulation assembly to engage tissue and manipulate the tissue in conjunction with the tissue manipulation assembly. A deployment assembly is provided for securing engaged tissue via one or more tissue anchors, the deployment assembly also being configured to disengage the anchors endoluminally or laparoscopically by applying thermal energy through at least one suture cutting element disposed along the deployment assembly.