Surgical Valve Guard Curvature Prevents Seal Inversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current trocar assemblies for laparoscopic procedures face challenges in maintaining a secure seal and preventing inversion of seals and guard members during instrument insertion and withdrawal, which can lead to gas leakage and instrument damage.
Innovation Solution
A valve assembly with a septum seal and guard members having varying curvatures and slits, positioned in an overlapping and offset relationship, to prevent inversion and ensure secure sealing, along with a cannula and obturator assembly that allows for sealed access and instrument insertion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a septum seal is used to seal the surgical instrument, then gas leakage is prevented, but the seal may invert during instrument withdrawal causing failure
Solution Approach 1:
The guard members are positioned in advance to prevent inversion of the septum seal before it can occur during instrument withdrawal. The curved guard portions create a physical barrier that maintains the seal's proper orientation throughout the instrument insertion and withdrawal cycle.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard members incorporate curved guard portions with specific radii of curvature that match or exceed the curvature of the septum seal. This curvature geometry prevents the seal from inverting by providing a supportive arc that maintains the seal's structural integrity during instrument movement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If guard members are added to protect the seal, then seal inversion is prevented, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The guard members are constructed as thin, flexible structures with curved guard portions that can deform to accommodate instrument passage while maintaining their protective function. This flexibility allows the guard members to protect the seal without requiring complex rigid support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard members are divided into multiple curved guard portions arranged circumferentially around the septum seal. This segmentation allows each portion to independently flex and deform during instrument insertion and withdrawal, providing protection through a distributed structure rather than a single complex component.
3Reliability
If the cannula inner diameter approximates the obturator outer diameter for tight fit, then sealing is improved, but instrument insertion difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula and obturator are designed with specific local geometric features at their interfaces, including particular diameter relationships and surface characteristics. These localized quality variations create optimal sealing zones while maintaining ease of insertion through carefully controlled dimensional tolerances in critical areas.
Data Source
AI summary
A valve assembly for use with a surgical instrument is disclosed. The valve assembly includes a housing and a seal assembly disposed within the housing, the seal assembly including a septum seal including an orifice configured to sealingly engage a surgical instrument inserted therethrough, at least a portion of the septum seal defining a seal curvature, a first guard member including a plurality of curved first guard portions defining slits therebetween, and a second guard member including a plurality of curved second guard portions defining slits therebetween. The first and second guard members may be positioned in an overlapping relationship with the plurality of first guard portions rotationally offset with respect to the second guard portions. The wide, triangular shaped slits of the guard members may improve flexibility of the guard portions.