Vacuum-Assisted Vessel Closure Device for Hemorrhoidal Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for closing or modifying tissue within the body, such as hemorrhoidal arteries, often result in pain for patients and lack efficient minimally invasive solutions.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a housing with a distal end for insertion into the rectum, a lumen for vacuum application, and a sensor for identifying blood vessels, allowing for the insertion and removal of a probe with a vessel closure module to minimize pain and effectively close blood vessels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional surgical methods are used to close blood vessels, then the closure effectiveness is improved, but patient pain and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vessel closure module is nested within the elongate body, which is inserted into the rectum. The closure module can be deployed from within the body lumen, eliminating the need for external incisions and reducing patient pain while maintaining closure effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical surgical cutting and stitching with a vacuum-assisted closure mechanism. The vacuum source creates negative pressure to draw tissue into the closure module, which then seals the vessel without requiring painful mechanical incisions or suturing.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive methods are used to close blood vessels, then patient pain is reduced, but the ability to effectively close vessels may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum source acts as an intermediary mechanism that bridges the minimally invasive approach with effective vessel closure. By creating negative pressure, the vacuum draws the vessel into the closure module, ensuring reliable closure while maintaining the minimally invasive benefit of reduced patient pain.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter by introducing a vacuum (negative pressure) environment within the elongate body. This pressure differential enables the vessel to be drawn into the closure module effectively, ensuring reliable closure through a minimally invasive approach that reduces patient pain.
3Device complexity
If a fixed closure device is used, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability to different vessel sizes and locations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The closure module is designed to be dynamic rather than fixed. It can expand or contract to accommodate different vessel sizes and can be positioned at various locations within the rectum. This dynamic design allows the device to adapt to different anatomical conditions while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The device is segmented into modular components: the elongate body, the closure module, and the vacuum source. This segmentation allows the closure module to be independently sized and configured for different vessel types while keeping the rest of the device structure simple and manageable.
4Measurement precision
If manual tissue manipulation is used, then closure precision is achieved, but operation time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual tissue manipulation with an automated vacuum-assisted system. The vacuum source automatically draws the vessel into the closure module with precise control, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual manipulation while maintaining high closure precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum acts as an intermediary that precisely positions the vessel within the closure module without requiring direct manual manipulation. This intermediary mechanism achieves accurate tissue placement quickly, reducing procedure time while maintaining closure precision.
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 system enables minimally invasive and pain-reduced closure of blood vessels by using vacuum-assisted insertion and removal of vessel closure modules, such as clips or cautery devices, to effectively treat hemorrhoidal arteries.
Implementation Method 1
the lumen configured to couple to a vacuum source... the lumen is configured to maintain a vacuum within the cavity... at least a portion of the blood vessel is pulled into the cavity
Data Source
AI summary
A system for closing a blood vessel includes a housing having a proximal end and a distal end and configured to be held in the hand of a user, an elongate body extending from the distal end of the housing, a distal housing having a proximal end coupled to a distal end of the elongate body and having a cavity including an opening on a side of the distal housing, a lumen passing through the elongate body and terminating at the cavity of the distal housing and configured to couple to a vacuum source, a sensor carried by the distal housing adjacent the cavity and configured for identifying a blood vessel, wherein the lumen is configured to maintain a vacuum within the cavity when a probe having a vessel closure module is inserted within the lumen and the vessel closure module is within the cavity.