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In-Vivo Tool for Electrocautery Cleaning (IvTEC)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Background:

In robotic surgery, a robot with four articulating arms is manipulated by a surgeon at a console to perform the surgery laparoscopically, or through very small incisions, typically in the abdomen. The arms are inserted through the incisions into the abdomen and can be maneuvered with very precise movements to decrease both blood loss and probability of surgeon error. One of the most common types of robotic surgery tools utilizes electrocautery to cut through tissue not by mechanical means (scissors, shears, etc.) but by creating intense heat with electricity. However, these electrocautery tools have a major downside. Over the span of a surgery, charred tissue builds up on their tips, making them significantly less effective. Surgeons have attempted to fashion their own solutions with whatever materials and methods they can imagine, but the results are incredibly time-consuming, expensive, and dangerous. IvTEC (In-vivo Tool for Electrocautery Cleaning) solves this problem by providing a convenient, fast, effective, and safe way for surgeons to clean their electrocautery tools, thereby reducing time, complications, rate of tool disposal, and cost.

 

 

Challenge

How to improve robotic surgery by reimagining tool cleaning process

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Process

Conducted 42 expert interviews, shadowed 6 robotic surgeries, developed 74 original concepts, created 10 prototypes

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Impact

Patented surgical accessory to clean tools in-vivo, reduced chance of complications by 7-14%, potentially saved U.S. 175K ER hours ($475M)​

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Design Considerations:

  • What improvement to robotic surgery best fit the Agile Product Design team's skills and aims?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So What? - Surgeons face a dilemma between safety and convenience when cleaning their tools.

 

 

  • What designs were possible to solve this cleaning problem?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
So What? - The APD team dedicated time to understanding IvTEC's users and hearing their perspectives.
 
 
 
  • What is IvTEC, and how does it solve the cleaning problem?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Conclusion: IvTEC was successfully ideated, prototyped, and designed to 
effectively, safely, and inexpensively clean electrocautery tools.
 
  • In-Vivo
    • Unlike the currently suggested cleaning method, IvTEC is capable of cleaning electrocautery tools in-vivo, ensuring both surgery efficiency and surgeon convenience.
  • Accessible
    • Once inserted into the patient, IvTEC can be manipulated by the surgical assistant to provide the accessibility that surgeons have requested.
  • Several Entry Points
    • IvTEC is specifically designed with as many entry points for the electrocautery tool as possible, to further increase ease-of-use.
  • Easy Insertion
    • Smooth IvTEC has a rounded tip to enable a smooth insertion into and removal from the patient.
  • Durable
    • ​IvTEC employs sponges to clean the electrocautery tools, thereby avoiding the danger of thin bristles accidentally being cut by the tools and falling into the body.
  • Cooling
    • Saline drip ports keep the cleaning sponges saturated, to cool the very hot electrocautery tools when they come in contact.
  • Safe
    • IvTEC is made of all FDA-approved plastics (rather than surgical metals) to completely eliminate the potential for electrical arcing while inside the patient.
  • Disposable
    • IvTEC is intentionally a disposable accessory, as both surgeons and assistants have conveyed their aversion to sterilizing yet another surgical tool after each surgery.
  • Low-cost
    • IvTEC has been designed with incredibly low-cost materials, since hospitals would be very unlikely to adopt a new surgical accessory if it increased cost substantially.
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