WO2000003371A1

WO2000003371A1 - Training device for laparoscopic surgery

Info

Publication number: WO2000003371A1
Application number: PCT/ES1999/000219
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mariano Ubach Servet
Original assignee: Mariano Ubach Servet
Priority date: 1998-07-08
Filing date: 1999-07-08
Publication date: 2000-01-20
Also published as: ES2144375A1; ES2144375B1

Abstract

The device is comprised of a receptacle (1-2) provided internally with a compartment limited by guides (5) for the selective implantation of previously constructed tridimensionnal models (6) which simulate a plurality of organs of the human body, with their corresponding organic tissues, incorporating in its wall opposite to the location area of the models a cold light source and coupling means for a household video camera (12) which is connected in turn to a household video-TV system capable of visualizing the implantation zone of said model (6) with the collaboration of light sources (7) and also to visualize, through the corresponding TV screen associated to the camera (12), the simulated intervention-practice which is carried out by introducing the laparoscopy instrument, which is real in disuse or in limitation material, into the holes (16) appropriately drilled in the upper base of the receptacle, specifically in the lid (2) which closes the base body (1).

Description

TRAINING DEVICE FOR LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY

D E S C R I P C I Ó N

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device that has been specially designed to constitute a training base in the field of surgery, specifically laparoscopic surgery, that is, the type of surgery in which there is no direct view of the area. on which it is being manipulated, but an indirect vision through a video circuit.

The device is especially intended for students and professionals with little experience, both in the field of medicine and in nursing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As is known, laparoscopic surgery aims at a minimal inversion of the patient's body, so that the postoperative recovery is as fast as possible. In this sense and in the face of the conventional surgical technique in which the surgeon directly accesses, both manually and visually, the affected area, through wide cuts in the tissues, with laparoscopic surgery, the body incisions are minimal, those strictly necessary for introduce a tiny video camera that allows observation, through the corresponding monitor, of the area on which it is operated and for the introduction of the guides or trocars of the instruments.

Obviously work on an area that is being visualizing indirectly, through a video screen, and with a very particular instrument, operable at a distance, requires an education or reeducation, based on many hours of work, to get the right skill.

Also obviously, the difficulties of manipulation in this type of operations not only affect students, but also surgeons consummated in traditional surgery and who start in laparoscopic technique, for which they obviously require the corresponding re-education.

So far there are no devices that allow this training for laparoscopic surgery, so that both students and professionals have the body of the patient as a learning field, which obviously implies a prolongation in time of this type of surgical operations, and on the other a risk of damage in erroneous manipulations.

The only current solution to this problem is to carry out training with animals, but obviously it is necessary to use animals of considerable body size, at least similar to that of a person, which implies a very considerable cost, in addition to a wide range of problems associated with its acquisition, maintenance and manipulation, which makes this training technique very rarely performed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The device proposed by the invention has been designed in order to fully resolve satisfactory the aforementioned problem, so that with minimum investment costs, working conditions similar to those of a real laparoscopic surgery operation are achieved, which allows training to be prolonged as long as necessary, with very low costs.

For this, and more specifically, the device is materialized in a receptacle that can take any configuration, but which will preferably be prismatic-rectangular, structured based on a body and a lid, body in one of whose two halves vertical guides are established to selective coupling and in different positions of a series of simulative mock-ups of organs of the human body, so that said mock-ups, constructed from a ductile and coloring porous material simulate as far as possible the organic tissue corresponding to the organ in question, in each case, while in the other half of the body, cold light bulbs are established to conveniently illuminate the model used, in each exercise, and on the side wall facing the model in question a partition wall with coupling for a video camera , partition preferably materialized in an elastic membrane with a hole adapted to the purpose of the ca mara.

On the other hand, the cover and in the same sector outside the body sector in which the models are located, will incorporate a plurality of small holes, selectively usable, simulators of the holes in the patient's body through which the Trocars in the surgical operation.

As a complement to the structure described, provided that said elastic membrane is assisted by an external, tilting placket, attachable to the body in an inoperative situation of the device and that constitutes a support base for the video camera in its use phase, for which purpose it is also provided that Said placket is provided with adjustable legs that allow focusing perfectly the work area provided in the model.

Finally, the device is complemented with the corresponding instruments, but given that the surgical instruments used in this type of surgery are very expensive, the use of a simulated instrument, based on plastic material, whose cost is minimal and consequently minimal, is planned also its economic impact on the device as a whole.

According to this structuring and after opening the cover of the device, conceived in principle as a briefcase, to facilitate its handling, the model chosen in each case will be housed in one of its guides, at the distance also chosen depending on that in reality it is an organ more or less close to the body surface, then the lid will be closed again, the domestic video camera facing the model will be conveniently mounted and through the selected holes of the lid will be introduced the trocars that are necessary, visualizing the interior of the device through a TV screen, which can be materialized in a TV for domestic use, assisted by the corresponding magnetoscope integrated or not to the video camera.

So, through the TV screen the Trainee will visualize his own manipulations with the instruments on the model, gradually acquiring the necessary skill for real laparoscopic surgery.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. In an illustrative and non-limiting manner, the following has been represented:

Figure 1 shows, according to a perspective view, a device for training laparoscopic surgery performed in accordance with the object of the present invention, which appears in an inoperative situation.

Figure 2.- Shows, also according to a perspective view, the same set of the previous figure with the box open to show more clearly the structure of the device.

Figure 3.- It also shows, according to a schematic representation in perspective, the assembly of the previous figure in the implementation phase of a model and after the coupling of the video camera.

Figure 4.- Shows a schematic plan of the assembly of the previous figure in which the functionality of the device is observed more clearly. PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In view of these figures it can be seen how the device proposed by the invention is structured from a receptacle materialized in a kind of box or case with a body (1) and a cover (2), provided with means (3) of coupling or closure on the body (1) which in turn will preferably be provided with a handle (4) that confers the aforementioned briefcase characteristics, this formal configuration being merely exemplary and can be replaced by any other that meets the conditions that They will settle down next.

More specifically, the conditions for the body (1) of the receptacle are the existence of a series of interior guides (5) that allow the provision or incorporation into the receptacle of a plurality of models (6), selectively usable, constructed as previously said based on a porous, ductile and coloring material, with various shapes and sizes and simulator of the organic tissue on which the supposed operation will be performed using laparoscopic surgery technique.

These guides (5), as observed especially in Figure 2, affect approximately half of the body (1), while in the other half, and preferably on both sides of the body, light bulbs (7) are established, preferably of cold light, which conveniently illuminate the receptacle when the body (1) is closed with the lid (2), as it happens during training exercises.

The side wall (8) of the body opposite the area of location of the models (6), it is materialized in an elastic membrane (9), with a hole (10) properly located to allow the coupling of the lens (11) of a video camera (12), for domestic use, of so that, as observed especially in Figure 4, the objective of said camera (12) is conveniently distanced from the model in use (6) for a perfect visualization thereof.

In an inoperative situation of the device, the membrane (9) is conveniently protected by a collapsible flap (13), specifically hinged through its lower edge (14) and also provided with fixing means (3 ') in a closed situation, equivalent to the means (3) for closing the lid (2) on the body (1), said placket (13) also having legs (15) of adjustable height, so that when the placket (13) is lowered on the Support surface of the device, according to the representation of figure 3, constitutes the basis of implantation for the video camera (12) and allows the positional regulation of the latter, for a correct approach of the model (4), acting on said legs (15).

Finally, and as a complement to the structure described, a plurality of small holes (16) are established on the cover (2), properly distributed and selectively usable, for coupling the trocars through which they access the interior of the receptacle, and consequently to the model (6) in use, the components of the simulated instruments with which the training exercises are performed, instruments that, as previously mentioned, will preferably be obtained in simple plastic material, reproducing as faithfully as possible the real instrumental

According to this structure, the front of the model (6) is displayed during training through the TV monitor screen associated with the camera (12), and in this indirect view, the manipulations on the model are also appreciated with the instrumental, in conditions that reproduce the real conditions of a laparoscopic surgery extremely closely.

Obviously and as noted above, there are many solutions to achieve the aforementioned receptacle, which include the possibility that both the body (1) and the lid (2) are structured based on two halves, telescopically inter-coupled, which allow to regulate at will the length of said receptacle and consequently the distance between the model (6) in use and the objective of the video camera (12).

Claims

R E I V I N D I C A C I O N E S

is.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, whose purpose is to reproduce the real conditions of an operation of this type, on any human organ, is characterized by being constituted from a receptacle (1-2), closed, in one whose ends are established guides for implantation of a simulative model (6) of the organ to be operated, while at its other end coupling means are established for a video camera (12), preferably of a domestic type, while at the same time inside the said receptacle, lighting bulbs (7) are established that allow the video camera (12) to capture the images of the model, while on the top base of said receptacle a plurality of small holes are also established ( 16) properly distributed to allow the passage and coupling of the trocars through which the corresponding surgical instruments access the inside of the receptacle.

2§.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to claim 1 ^§ , characterized in that said receptacle is materialized in a body (1), preferably rectangular prismatic, to which a cover (2) is attached, provided with the holes (16 ) for selective implantation of the trocars, said body (1) having a handle (4) that converts the device as a whole into a briefcase.

3 ^ .- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to previous claims, characterized in that the models are made up of porous, ductile and coloring material, with different shapes and sizes to simulate the tissue Organic of different organs of the human body.

4a.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to previous claims, characterized in that several guides (5) are established within the receptacle (1-2) for coupling the models (6), which allow to vary at will the distance between the model (6) chosen and the lens (11) of the video camera (12).

5a.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to previous claims, characterized in that the side wall of the body (1) of the receptacle opposite the implant zone of the models (6), is embodied in an elastic membrane (9) provided with a holes (10) for coupling the lens (11) of the video camera.

6§.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to claim 53, characterized in that the lateral wall (8) of the body (1) in which the elastic membrane (9) is established is assisted by a placket (13), hinged by its lower edge (14), constituting a support base for the video camera (12) and equipped with adjustable legs (15) that allow the adequate focus of the model (6) housed inside the receptacle.

73.- Training device for laparoscopic surgery, according to previous claims, characterized in that the instruments that access the inside of the receptacle through the trocars coupled in the holes (16) of the lid (2), is a reproduction in plastic material of the Real instruments used in a laparoscopic surgery intervention.