Vacuum-Actuated Surgical Grasper With Pivoting Lever
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Vacuum-actuated surgical graspers lack the ability to modulate grasping force like conventional mechanical graspers, potentially causing tissue damage due to the absence of a mechanism to control suction force.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum-actuated surgical grasper with a handle and actuation lever that allows for controlled suction by aligning internal channels to adjust suction strength, similar to conventional mechanical graspers, enabling precise control over the grasping force through pivoting the actuation lever.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a vacuum-actuated surgical grasper uses a simple elongated tube without a modulation mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the ability to modulate grasping force is lost and tissue damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the internal channels alignable and misalignable through the actuation lever mechanism. The channels transition from a fixed configuration to a dynamically adjustable configuration, allowing the surgeon to modulate suction force by pivoting the lever, thus achieving force modulation capability while maintaining relative structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements parameter changes by varying the degree of alignment between internal channels through actuation lever pivoting. This changes the effective open area for suction flow, thereby modulating the suction force parameter continuously from zero to full strength, providing precise control over grasping force
2Device complexity
If a vacuum-actuated surgical grasper uses a simple elongated tube without a modulation mechanism, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability of tissue handling is worsened due to inability to control suction force
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by creating a movable alignment mechanism between internal channels through the actuation lever. This dynamic adjustment capability allows real-time control of suction force, ensuring reliable tissue handling by preventing both insufficient and excessive suction that could cause tissue damage, while maintaining relatively simple device architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback through the mechanical linkage between the actuation lever and internal channel alignment. The lever's position directly controls the degree of channel alignment, providing immediate feedback to the surgeon about the suction force level, thereby ensuring reliable and predictable tissue handling
3Ease of operation
If a vacuum-actuated surgical grasper uses a simple elongated tube, then the ease of operation is improved for basic use, but the adaptability to different tissue types and grasping forces is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by enabling the internal channels to be dynamically aligned or misaligned through actuation lever pivoting. This allows the same device to adapt to different tissue types and grasping requirements by adjusting suction force in real-time, maintaining ease of operation while significantly improving adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements universality by designing a single device that can perform multiple functions: it can provide zero suction for delicate tissue handling, full suction for firm grasping, and intermediate levels for various tissue types. The actuation lever mechanism enables one device to replace multiple fixed-configuration devices
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 solution allows for intuitive and precise control of suction force, reducing tissue damage and improving usability by mimicking the operation of conventional mechanical graspers, while maintaining the gentle tissue handling of vacuum-actuated systems.
Implementation Method 1
the vacuum-actuated surgical grasper of the '041 patent uses a suction head to apply gentle suction to the tissue to grip it
Data Source
AI summary
In one embodiment, a vacuum-actuated surgical grasper includes a suction head adapted to interface with patient tissue, a suction tube connected to and in fluid communication with the suction head, and a handle connected to the suction tube, the handle comprising an internal passage in fluid communication with the suction tube through which fluid from the suction tube can flow and a pivotable actuation lever that controls this flow through the passage.