Remotely-activated vertebroplasty pump with cable actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vertebroplasty injection devices using extension tubes expose clinicians to excessive x-ray radiation and suffer from pressure drops, leading to reduced control and increased risks of cement leakage or premature hardening, which can result in serious health risks.
Innovation Solution
A remotely-activated vertebroplasty injection device where a pump is anchored to the patient, eliminating the need for extension tubes, and utilizing a cable and piston driver mechanism to control the injection of bone cement, ensuring safe operation outside the fluoro field and maintaining natural feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a long extension tube is used to deliver bone cement, then the clinician can operate outside the fluoro field, but the extension tube produces a pressure drop making it more difficult to deliver the bone cement
Solution Approach 1:
The injection system is divided into two separate components: a pump unit that delivers bone cement and a separate extension tube that provides remote operation capability. The pump unit is anchored to the patient's body, allowing the extension tube to be minimized in length while still enabling the clinician to operate outside the fluoro field.
Solution Approach 2:
The pump unit acts as an intermediary device between the bone cement source and the injection needle. It is positioned close to the patient (anchored to the body) while being remotely controllable, serving as a mediator that eliminates the need for a long extension tube and its associated pressure drop.
2Stress or pressure
If mechanisms are implemented to increase pressure for pushing cement through the tube, then cement delivery is improved, but the natural feedback or feel of the injection device is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The pump unit is designed with direct manual control mechanisms (such as a syringe barrel or plunger) that provide immediate tactile feedback to the clinician. This allows the clinician to feel resistance changes and control cement flow naturally, while the pump's design ensures adequate pressure is generated without requiring complex pressure-enhancing mechanisms.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a long extension tube is used, then remote operation is enabled, but the device becomes susceptible to premature curing or hardening, resulting in tube clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the bone cement storage and delivery function (in the pump unit anchored to the patient) from the remote operation function (via a short extension tube). This segmentation minimizes the length of tube containing bone cement, reducing the risk of premature curing and clogging while maintaining remote operation capability.
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 significantly reduces clinician exposure to x-ray radiation, improves control during the procedure, and minimizes the risk of cement leakage or premature hardening, enhancing safety and effectiveness of the vertebroplasty process.
Implementation Method 1
The cable can be a tensile flexible cable or a rigid rod. The cable has a first end coupled to the actuator and a second end engaging the pump.
Implementation Method 2
The piston driver can include gear and pulley mechanisms. The piston driver can also include a lever, thereby providing a mechanical advantage in applying a force to the piston.
Implementation Method 3
the actuator controls the pump by responsive movement of the cable, causing injection of the fluorescent probe material from the injection chamber through the exit opening into the patient
Data Source
AI summary
A remotely-activated injection device for use in vertebroplasty is provided to inject a flourescent probe material into a patient. The injection device includes a pump defining an injection chamber having an exit opening; an actuator; and a cable having a first end coupled to the actuator, and a second end remotely engaging the pump. The actuator remotely controls the pump by responsive movement of the cable to thereby cause injection of a flourescent probe material from the injection chamber of the pump through the exit opening to the patient.