Tracheostomy Kit Optical Guide and Modular Tube
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tracheostomy procedures require skilled practitioners to make incisions during emergencies, which can be challenging due to the complexity of inserting a tracheostomy tube with multiple moveable parts.
Innovation Solution
A tracheostomy kit that includes an elongate guide element with an optical emitter and incision location template for precise incision marking, a resilient retention element for the tracheostomy tube, an introducer with ceramic cutting tip or laser for incision creation, and a neck brace for securing the tube, facilitating easier and less invasive insertion by unskilled users.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a tracheostomy tube with several moveable parts is used, then the tube can be inserted through a surgical procedure, but the procedure becomes complex and requires skilled medical practitioners
Solution Approach 1:
The tracheostomy tube is divided into separate modular components including a proximal portion, distal portion, retention element, and flange that can be assembled together. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while simplifying the overall insertion procedure as components can be prepared separately and assembled systematically.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention element is pre-formed with a specific configuration that allows it to be attached to the tube before insertion. The flange is pre-assembled with the tube body, and all components are prepared in advance according to the kit instructions, eliminating the need for complex intra-procedural assembly and reducing the skill level required.
2Measurement precision
If needles or scalpel are used to make incision, then the incision can be made precisely, but the procedure requires skilled medical practitioners and is difficult in emergency situations
Solution Approach 1:
A template with optical features serves as an intermediary tool that projects light patterns onto the patient's neck to precisely mark the incision location. This optical template system acts as a mediator between the practitioner and the incision site, providing accurate positioning without requiring advanced surgical skill to estimate or measure the location manually.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical process of measuring and marking incision locations with rulers or anatomical knowledge is replaced by an optical projection system that automatically displays the correct incision site through light patterns, making the procedure more accessible to practitioners with varying levels of expertise.
3Reliability
If a resilient retention element is used to expand radially, then the tube can be secured in the trachea, but the tube structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The retention element is designed with localized radial expansion capability only at specific portions of the tube, while other sections remain simple and rigid. This local quality approach provides secure anchoring where needed without complicating the overall tube structure, as the expansion feature is confined to a specific functional zone rather than the entire tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The retention element transitions from a compressed state during insertion to an expanded state once positioned in the trachea. This dynamic behavior allows the same component to serve dual purposes: facilitating easy insertion in its compressed form and providing secure retention when expanded, without requiring multiple separate structural elements.
4Productivity
If an introducer with ceramic cutting tip or laser is used, then the incision can be made more efficiently, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional mechanical scalpel or needle-based incision method is replaced by a laser-based cutting system integrated into the introducer. The laser provides precise, clean cuts through the skin and tissue to create the stoma, significantly improving efficiency and reducing bleeding compared to mechanical methods, despite the increased technological complexity of the device.
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
The kit enables precise and efficient tracheostomy tube placement with reduced need for skilled intervention, fewer moveable parts, and enhanced safety features like haemostatic coatings and expandable retention elements, suitable for emergency situations and extended use.
Implementation Method 1
an optical emitter for emitting an optical beam, the optical emitter being attached to the guide element so that the beam is directed to the distal end of the guide element
Implementation Method 2
a resilient retention element, the retention element being radially outwardly biased with respect to the tube so as to cause an outer part thereof to expand radially away from the tube when the distal end of the tube extends into a patient's trachea
Implementation Method 3
an introducer guidable through the aperture to make an incision at the tracheostomy incision site
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus for locating an incision on a patient, the apparatus comprising: an elongate guide element for guiding a cutting tool to a location at a distal end of the guide element; an optical emitter for emitting an optical beam, the optical emitter being attached to the guide element so that the beam is directed to the distal end of the guide element; and an incision location template slidably attached to the guide element, the incision location template comprising a first feature adapted to be optically correlated with an anatomical feature of the patient and a second feature adapted to be optically aligned with an impingement point of the beam on the patient.