Ultrasound Path Preparation for Curved Tissue Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices face challenges in navigating through tissue to a target position without causing unnecessary injury or bleeding, particularly when encountering critical regions or organs, due to their rigidity and the need to bore through tissues, which can lead to organ movement and difficulty in precise positioning.
Innovation Solution
A path preparation system using an ultrasound sensor and tracking system to determine the device's position, emitting high-intensity focused ultrasound waves to pre-perforate the path, allowing for flexible devices to follow curved paths and minimize tissue deformation, thereby reducing the risk of injury and bleeding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a rigid device with a sharp tip is used to bore through tissue, then the device can penetrate tissue effectively, but it increases the risk of bleeding and injury to critical regions
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using ultrasound waves to pre-perforate and soften the tissue path before the device is inserted. This preparation reduces the mechanical force needed for penetration and allows the device to follow a predetermined safe path, thereby reducing the risk of bleeding and injury while maintaining effective penetration capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces part of the mechanical boring action with acoustic action. Ultrasound waves are used to cavitate and soften the tissue along the intended path, substituting the purely mechanical sharp-tip boring process with a combination of acoustic pre-processing and gentle mechanical insertion. This reduces tissue trauma and bleeding risk.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a flexible device is used to follow a curved path, then the device can detour around critical regions, but it becomes difficult to maintain rigidity for effective tissue penetration
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary action by using ultrasound waves to pre-soften and cavitate the tissue along the entire curved path before device insertion. This allows a flexible device to follow the curved path easily while the pre-prepared path provides sufficient structural guidance, eliminating the need for the device to be rigid for penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces the need for mechanical rigidity with acoustic pre-processing. Instead of relying on the device's structural rigidity to push through tissue, the ultrasound waves create a softened, cavitated path that the flexible device can follow passively, substituting mechanical strength requirements with acoustic field preparation.
3Manufacturing precision
If the device penetrates into an organ, then the target position can be reached, but the organ may slide away leading to positioning errors and increased bleeding risk
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by using real-time tracking to monitor organ movement and dynamically adjusting the ultrasound focus position and device insertion path. The ultrasound pre-perforates the path ahead of the device, and the system continuously adapts to organ displacement, ensuring the device reaches the correct target position despite organ movement while minimizing bleeding risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback through real-time tracking of the device position and organ movement. The tracking data feeds back to the control system, which adjusts the ultrasound focus and device insertion path dynamically. This closed-loop control maintains positioning accuracy and reduces bleeding risk by adapting to organ movement during the procedure.
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
Enables precise and safe navigation of devices through tissue by pre-perforating the path with ultrasound, reducing the risk of bleeding and injury to critical regions, and allowing for flexible device movement, even when organs move.
Implementation Method 1
The ultrasound transmitter is configured to emit a high-intensity focused ultrasound wave onto a focus position, that lies in front of a current position of the device in the path direction
Implementation Method 2
The high-intensity focused ultrasound wave is configured to perforate the path in the material through which the path runs
Data Source
AI summary
A path preparation system for preparing a path for a device. The path preparation system includes an ultrasound transmitter and a tracking system. The tracking system is configured to determine a current position of the device on the path. The ultrasound transmitter is configured to focus an ultrasound wave onto a focus position that lies in front of the device in the direction of the path, in spatial relation to the current position of the device.