Two-Mode Morcellator Front and Side Windows
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current morcellators for uterine procedures require significant cervix dilation and general anesthesia due to their large diameter and limited ability to resect tissue from the back wall of the uterus, necessitating additional instruments for coagulation.
Innovation Solution
A two-mode morcellator with an elongate member featuring a front window for tissue resection and a side window for additional cutting, along with a resection element that functions as both an active and return electrode for bipolar energy, allowing for simultaneous tissue resection and coagulation, reducing the need for additional instruments and anesthesia.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional morcellator with a single side blade is used, then the device structure is simple, but the ability to resect tissue from the back wall of the uterus is limited and additional instruments are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple resection capabilities into a single morcellator device by incorporating both a front window with a resection element and a side window with a cutting edge. This merging of functions allows the device to resect tissue from both the front and back walls of the uterus, eliminating the need for separate instruments and reducing overall device complexity while enhancing versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The morcellator is designed with multi-functionality to perform various resection tasks through its dual-window configuration. The front window enables resection of anterior tissue while the side window with cutting edge enables resection of posterior/back wall tissue. This universal design allows a single device to replace multiple specialized instruments, improving adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a traditional morcellator with only a side blade is used, then the device is simpler, but coagulation cannot occur upon tissue resection and separate coagulation devices are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges resection and coagulation functions into a single integrated system. The resection element and cutting edge are electrically configured as electrodes that can deliver bipolar energy for coagulation during the resection process. This combination eliminates the need for separate coagulation devices, enhancing versatility while managing device complexity through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The morcellator is designed as a universal device that performs both mechanical resection and thermal coagulation through its electrode-configured resection elements. The same structural components serve dual purposes: cutting tissue mechanically and coagulating tissue through bipolar energy delivery, thereby improving adaptability without requiring additional specialized devices.
3Productivity
If a larger diameter morcellator is used, then the device has more capacity for tissue removal, but the cervix must be dilated more significantly requiring general anesthesia and increasing recovery time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the resection function into two distinct access points: a front window for anterior tissue removal and a side window for posterior tissue removal. This segmentation allows the use of a smaller diameter device that can be inserted through a less dilated cervix, reducing the harmful effects of dilation and anesthesia requirements while maintaining adequate tissue removal capacity through multiple targeted access points.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a lateral dimension to tissue removal capability by incorporating a side window with a cutting edge that can resect back wall tissue. This dimensional addition allows the device to access and remove tissue from multiple spatial locations (anterior and posterior) through a single insertion point, enabling effective tissue removal with a smaller device diameter that reduces cervix dilation requirements.
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 design enables reduced cervix dilation and anesthesia requirements, allowing for effective removal of large tissue portions like fibroids or polyps with a smaller device footprint, enhancing the efficiency and comfort of hysteroscopic procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The elongate member can define a return electrode and the resection element can define an active electrode, which, in conjunction with the return electrode, can operate to resect tissue from a target site upon energization. During resection, the resection element can function to coagulate tissue at the target site during resection.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical device can include an elongate member that defines a lumen and a resection element that extends through the elongate member lumen. The elongate member can include a side window at a distal portion and a front window at a distal end of the elongate member and proximate to the side window. The front window can define an opening at the elongate member distal end. The resection element can be movable within the elongate member lumen where a distal end of the resection element can be exposed at the front window. The resection element can have a side window that is alignable with the elongate member side window. In addition, the resection element can define an electrically active electrode and the elongate member can define a return electrode.