Turbinate Reduction Instrument with Navigation Sensor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments lack the precision and effectiveness in performing turbinate reduction and sinus wall remodeling procedures, particularly in navigating and accurately positioning instruments within the nasal cavity without direct visualization.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical piercing instrument equipped with a helical auger and a retractable sheath, combined with an image-guided surgical navigation system, allows for precise tracking and positioning of the instrument within the nasal cavity, enabling effective turbinate reduction and sinus wall remodeling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If image-guided surgical navigation is used to track instrument position, then positioning precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an electromagnetic sensor as an intermediary component that detects the instrument's position through electromagnetic fields generated by external transmitters. This mediator enables non-contact position tracking without requiring direct visualization, resolving the contradiction by adding a tracking layer that improves precision while managing complexity through standardized sensor-integration protocols
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical visualization methods with an electromagnetic field-based detection system. Instead of relying on visual contact or mechanical linkages for position detection, the system uses electromagnetic sensors to detect position through field interactions, thereby improving precision while substituting complex mechanical tracking mechanisms with a more elegant electromagnetic solution
2Manufacturing precision
If a helical auger with retractable sheath is used for tissue cutting, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a retractable sheath mechanism that dynamically adjusts its position relative to the helical auger. The sheath can be extended to protect the auger during storage and retracted to expose the cutting edges during operation. This dynamic configuration enables precise cutting control while managing complexity through a simple yet effective mechanical retraction system that allows the auger to be both protected and accessible
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the cutting assembly into separable functional components: the helical auger for cutting, the retractable sheath for protection and guidance, and the drive mechanism for rotation. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the auger for cutting precision and the sheath for protective function - while simplifying the overall system through modular design that reduces integration complexity
3Ease of operation
If direct visualization is used for instrument positioning, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback loop where electromagnetic sensors continuously monitor the instrument's position relative to anatomical structures and provide real-time position data to the surgical system. This feedback mechanism compensates for the lack of direct visualization by providing continuous positional information, enabling the surgeon to maintain situational awareness without direct visual contact, thus reducing information loss while maintaining operational ease through automated tracking
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes a handle assembly and a shaft assembly extending distally from the handle assembly and having a distal end sized to be inserted into the nasal cavity of a patient. The shaft assembly includes a cutting member configured to cut tissue within the nasal cavity, and a translating member slidably disposed over the cutting member. A navigation sensor is disposed within the distal end of the shaft assembly and is operable to generate a signal corresponding to a position of the distal end within the patient.