Percutaneous Transabdominal Port with Shape-Changing Retainer

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional urinary catheters and percutaneous tubes for bladder, colonic, or gastric access suffer from complications such as blockage, infection, discomfort, and poor drainage due to movement within the tract, leading to skin complications and inadequate organ irrigation.

Innovation Solution

A percutaneous transabdominal port with a hollow tube and internal retainer that converts between narrow and wide configurations to secure within an organ, preventing movement and allowing for secure access with an external retainer to prevent retraction, and a seal to prevent fluid leakage, facilitating instrument passage and drainage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a percutaneous tube is inserted through the abdominal wall into a hollow organ, then access to the organ is achieved, but the tube moves within the tract causing tract widening and skin complications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of accessVSAvoidskin complications

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer is separated from the tube and deployed independently after insertion. The tube is inserted first through the abdominal wall, then the retainer is extracted from the tube and deployed within the organ to anchor the system, preventing movement and tract widening.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The retainer is pre-loaded within the introduction means before insertion. This preliminary positioning allows the retainer to be deployed at the correct location within the organ immediately after insertion, ensuring stable anchoring from the start and preventing subsequent movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If the internal retainer is kept in wide configuration, then it anchors securely within the organ, but it cannot pass through the abdominal wall tract

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanchoring securityVSAvoiddiameter of retainer

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer is designed with dynamic shape-changing capability, transitioning from a narrow configuration during insertion to a wide configuration for anchoring. This dynamic transformation allows the retainer to pass through the tract in a compressed state and expand to its functional size within the organ.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The retainer is nested within the introduction means during insertion. This nesting allows the wide retainer to be contained within a narrower introduction device, enabling it to pass through the abdominal wall tract and then be deployed to its full anchoring configuration within the organ.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If conventional catheters are used for bladder drainage, then urine can be drained, but complications such as blockage, infection, and discomfort occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedrainage functionVSAvoidcomplication rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The retainer acts as an intermediary anchoring element between the tube and the organ wall. By securing the tube firmly in place, the retainer prevents the movement and tract widening that lead to skin complications, infections, and blockages, thereby improving the reliability of the drainage system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The retainer provides beforehand cushioning by pre-preventing movement and tract widening. This proactive anchoring prevents the development of complications such as skin breakdown, infections, and blockages before they can occur, rather than addressing them after they develop.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 port provides stable, secure access to abdominal organs, reducing complications like blockage and infection, and enhancing drainage efficiency by anchoring securely within the organ and preventing tract widening, thus minimizing skin issues and improving irrigation capabilities.

Implementation Method 1

The internal retainer has a first configuration with a first outer diameter small enough to fit through the tract and a second configuration with a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS20220339021A1Percutaneous transabdominal port for hollow viscera

Publication Date: 2022.10.27 HECHT SARAH

AI summary

Disclosed is a percutaneous transabdominal port that provides access to a hollow visceral organ. The percutaneous transabdominal port is hollow and has a channel connecting the external surface of the abdomen to the inside of an organ. A catheter or other instrument may pass through this channel into the organ. The percutaneous transabdominal port has a hollow tube which spans an abdominal wall tract, an internal retainer to prevent unintended removal, and an external retainer to prevent withdrawal into the body. If the internal retainer does not rely on inflation, the hollow tube may be cut to length. An optional seal prevents fluid leakage while permitting passage of catheters or instruments. An optional closure cap is described. A method of inserting, utilizing, and removing the percutaneous transabdominal port is described.