Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of SYSU Seeks Transfer of Patent for "Electronic Endoscopic Device for Intracorporeal Lumen Visualization" at RMB 200,000

Recently, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University issued a public notice proposing to transfer its owned invention patents“An Electronic Endoscopic Device for Visualization of Medical Intraluminal Tubes”Assigned to the industry party. The inventor of this patent isWang Minghui's Team. According to publicly available assessment information, the proposed transfer price for this patent is RMB200,000 yuan。

The core of this patent lies in its ingenious solution to a long-standing pain point in minimally invasive surgery: how to maintain a consistently clear endoscopic field of view while performing negative pressure suction to remove blood and tissue fluids. In traditional procedures, the suction port is positioned close to the camera lens, making it highly susceptible to obstruction by splattered contaminants, which can lead to “blind” surgical manipulation.

By means of its signature “separator plate” structure, this invention completely isolates the suction channel from the endoscopic visualization channel in physical space at the distal end of the instrument, thereby eliminating contamination at the source. Coupled with a precision mechanical coupling mechanism, the device enables reusable high-value visualization core components and allows rapid, secure adaptation to disposable suction tubing of various specifications, thus achieving a balance between precise intraoperative visualization and reduced medical consumable costs.

In delicate procedures such as neurosurgery and spinal surgery, surgeons often need to simultaneously use negative-pressure suction to clear blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or tissue debris from the surgical field while observing deep cavities via an endoscope.

However, traditional devices or methods have significant limitations: if a camera is simply placed at the end of the suction tube, intraoperative splashes of contaminants will instantly blur the lens, causing an interruption in the field of view; if high-end integrated visualization suction instruments are used, their high cost often makes them unaffordable for single-use applications, and connecting them to inexpensive disposable suction tubes presents issues such as instability, easy detachment, and poor sealing. This forces clinicians to compromise between "clear visibility" and "cost-effectiveness," which not only increases surgical risks and uncertainties but also drives up medical costs.

This patent addresses the core dilemma that has plagued surgeons for years: the inability to achieve both effective suction and clear visualization simultaneously.

This patent transforms the concept into a stable and reliable physical device through a series of intricately designed, mutually reinforcing components. Its innovativeness is primarily reflected in the following three aspects:

1. Source Pollution Prevention:The fundamental solution of physical isolation.The core innovation of the patent lies in itsRevolutionary Anti-Contamination StructureAt the distal end of the device’s suction head, a critical partition is precisely installed to completely separate the side-wall suction ports from the camera assembly facing the transparent protective cover into two independent chambers. This design physically blocks the pathway for contaminants such as blood and tissue fluids aspirated during surgery from directly splashing or refluxing onto the camera lens, thereby ensuring that the endoscopic view remains consistently clear during continuous suction and fundamentally resolving the traditional problem of “vision loss upon suction.”

2. Intelligent Connectivity: The Unity of Adaptability and Secure Locking.To achieve rapid and reliable connection with disposable external tubes of various specifications (such as suction catheters and drainage tubes), the patented design featuresA precision mechanical connection and locking mechanism.At its core is a system that can be controlled by rotating the adjustment knob:

Adaptive Expansion:During rotation, the inner gear drives multiple winding wheels to synchronously reel in the traction ropes, thereby uniformly pulling the circumferentially distributed fitting pads. This causes the outer elastic rubber ring to expand radially, allowing for easy adaptation to different pipe diameters.

Double Locking:Upon release, the elastic rubber band automatically retracts due to its elasticity, driving the mechanism back to its original position and initially providing uniform radial clamping force to achieve a seal. More importantly, the first protrusion on the fitting gasket firmly presses the outer connecting tube into the annular groove on the surface of the insertable tube, forming an axial mechanical interlock resembling “interlocking dog teeth,” which effectively resists intraoperative traction and prevents dislodgement.

Easy Operation:The device integrates a pawl-type anti-loosening mechanism that automatically locks in place after adjustment, freeing the operator’s hands for tubing installation. Upon completion, it can be unlocked with a single touch, enabling rapid reset and secure locking. The entire process is tool-free, significantly optimizing surgical workflow.

3. System Reliability: Comprehensive Considerations for Support, Guidance, and Maintenance.Beyond the core functionalities, the numerous detailed design elements of the patent collectively establish the device’s practicality and durability:

Built-in Rigid Support:The patent features a specially designed built-in insertion tube. It serves not only as a fluid channel but, more critically, provides internal support to the soft external tubing when subjected to compression, thereby preventing collapse and obstruction and ensuring effective suction performance.

Modularity and Ease of Maintenance:The camera module features a wedge-block spring latch design, enabling tool-free “plug-and-lock” insertion and “slide-to-release” removal, which facilitates thorough post-procedure cleaning, sterilization, and rapid replacement. The entire connection mechanism can also be disassembled for maintenance via an assembly-style retaining ring with threaded connections.

Exercise Stability Assurance:The sealing gasket slides within a precision-machined guide groove via guide strips, ensuring that its expansion and contraction occur strictly along the radial direction. This design prevents jamming and enhances the long-term operational reliability of the mechanism.

In summary, this patent represents not merely an improvement to a single component, but a systematic engineering solution. By integrating source-level anti-fouling, intelligent connectivity, and comprehensive design in a tightly coupled manner, it successfully combines “reusable high-definition visualization modules” with “low-cost disposable consumables” in a safe, reliable, and convenient manner, achieving a win-win outcome for both clinical value and economic efficiency.

Amid the current global wave of endoscopic technology advancing toward “higher definition, greater intelligence, and enhanced integration,” international giants such as Olympus, KARL STORZ, and ZEISS have defined the high-end value benchmark for the industry.

Their technological pathways are highly focused on pushing the performance limits of imaging:OlympusIntegrates 4K/3D imaging with Narrow Band Imaging (NBI) technology to facilitate the precise identification of early-stage gastrointestinal cancers;KARL STORZPromote the “trinity” of 4K, 3D, and near-infrared fluorescence (NIR) imaging to provide stereoscopic vision with depth navigation for surgical procedures;ZeissIt focuses on ultra-precise fields such as neurosurgery, achieving extreme magnification and fused visualization by integrating endoscopic technology into digital microscopic platforms.

Currently, the R&D of domestically produced high-end endoscopes is rapidly advancing toward ultra-high definition, intelligence, and multifunctional integration, aiming to achieve clearer anatomical visualization, earlier lesion detection, and more intelligent surgical navigation in complex procedures.

For example,Mindray MedicalThe newly released next-generation 4K 3D endoscopic fluorescence imaging system integrates 4K, 3D, and fluorescence imaging capabilities. Its dual-channel true 4K imaging and innovative platform design are aimed at enhancing the precision and safety of surgical procedures.

SonoScapeit has launched the next-generation intelligent endoscopy platform “iEndo” and the “Lingzhu” 4K 3D fluorescence all-in-one laparoscopic imaging platform, shaping a new paradigm for intelligent diagnosis and treatment by incorporating independent GPUs, super-resolution imaging, and AI technologies.

At the forefront of surgical robot vision, MicroPort MedBot has not only developed a single-arm laparoscopic surgical robot equipped with a 3D high-definition imaging system, but also demonstrated its exploration in complex and precise operations through its participation in the joint development of a telesurgery system integrating visual-tactile multimodal feedback.

* Patent transaction information is provided by China Technology Exchange