Transgastric Endoscopic Access Device for Single-Port Abdominal Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current minimally invasive surgical methods, such as laparoscopic surgery, require multiple ports and can cause pain, scarring, and prolonged recovery, while flexible endoscopy is limited by the anatomical restrictions of the gastrointestinal tract, making it difficult to access the abdominal cavity safely and efficiently.

Innovation Solution

A transgastric endoscopic approach using a guide wire and access device that allows for the insertion of endoscopic instruments into the abdominal cavity through a single percutaneous opening in the abdomen and gastric wall, with mechanisms for protecting the mucosal lining, preventing gastric fluid leakage, and closing the gastric opening post-procedure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If laparoscopic surgery with multiple trocar ports is used to access the abdominal cavity, then the ability to perform surgical procedures is improved, but pain, scarring, and recovery time increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to perform surgical proceduresVSAvoidpain and scarring

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The procedure segments the access path by creating a small initial puncture site and then dilating it sequentially, allowing surgical instruments to pass through a single small incision rather than requiring multiple large trocar ports, thereby reducing pain and scarring while maintaining surgical capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The access system uses nested components where a dilator is inserted through the initial puncture, followed by insertion of the surgical instrument through the dilated pathway, allowing progressive expansion of the access site without requiring multiple separate incisions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Ease of operation

If flexible endoscopy is used to navigate the gastrointestinal tract, then minimally invasive access is achieved, but the size and shape of instruments are restricted by anatomical properties

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveminimally invasive accessVSAvoidinstrument size and shape flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The procedure performs preliminary dilation of the gastric wall using a controlled dilation device before inserting the surgical instrument, thereby preparing the access pathway in advance to accommodate instruments of the required size and shape without being constrained by the natural dimensions of the gastrointestinal tract

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The access system transitions from a static, anatomy-constrained pathway to a dynamically dilatable pathway, allowing the gastric wall opening to be expanded as needed to accommodate various surgical instruments while maintaining the minimally invasive benefit of a single access site

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Ease of operation

If a percutaneous incision is made to access the abdominal cavity, then direct access is achieved, but multiple ports and associated complications arise

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirect access to abdominal cavityVSAvoidnumber of ports required

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The procedure merges the functions of multiple separate port sites into a single integrated access pathway through the gastric wall, allowing multiple surgical instruments to pass through one consolidated incision site, thereby simplifying the overall procedure and reducing the number of puncture sites required

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS7824368B2Method for endoscopic, transgastric access into the abdominal cavity

Publication Date: 2010.11.02 ETHICON ENDO SURGERY INC

AI summary

The present invention is a method for accessing the abdominal cavity of a patient in order to perform a medical procedure therein. In one embodiment the method includes the step of inserting a guide wire into the upper gastrointestinal tract, via a gastric opening in the gastric wall and an abdominal opening in the abdominal wall of the patient, the guide wire having a first end that extends from the mouth of the patient, and a second end that extends from the abdominal opening of the patient. The method further includes providing an access device in the form of an elongated sheath having a lumen therethrough, attaching the first end of the guide wire to the distal end of the elongated sheath, and pulling the second end of the guide wire to position the access device into the upper gastrointestinal tract, wherein the distal end of the access device extends into the abdominal cavity while the proximal end of the access device extends out of the mouth of the patient.