Trocar with Internal Camera for Visual Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional trocars are inserted 'blindly' during invasive medical procedures, making it difficult for physicians to accurately locate the distal end of the trocar and visualize the tissue being penetrated, which can hinder precise guidance of medical probes.
Innovation Solution
A trocar equipped with an internal camera and position sensor, allowing real-time visual guidance and precise location tracking of the trocar's distal end, which can be registered with reference medical images for enhanced procedural accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If an internal camera is integrated into the trocar, then visual guidance and location tracking are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The camera is positioned inside the trocar shaft, nested within the existing structure. The camera captures images through the distal opening of the trocar, utilizing the existing tubular space rather than adding external components. This nesting approach integrates the imaging function without significantly increasing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trocar is transformed from a single-function insertion device into a multi-functional device that combines insertion, visual guidance, and location tracking capabilities. The internal camera enables the trocar to serve both as a mechanical access tool and as an imaging device, allowing one component to perform multiple functions.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional blind insertion is used, then device complexity is low, but procedural accuracy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The internal camera provides real-time visual feedback during the insertion process, allowing the surgeon to see what the trocar tip is encountering and adjust the insertion trajectory accordingly. This feedback mechanism transforms blind insertion into a guided process, significantly improving insertion accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The camera acts as an intermediary between the surgeon and the internal anatomy. Instead of relying solely on tactile feedback, the camera provides visual information that mediates the insertion process, enabling more precise localization and navigation of the trocar tip within the body.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
A trocar for insertion into an organ of a patient includes a cannula, a channel inside the cannula, and a camera. The cannula has a longitudinal axis, and the channel inside the cannula is fitted parallel to the longitudinal axis. The camera is disposed at a distal end of the channel and is configured to provide images in a direction of a distal opening of the cannula.