Beijing Century坛 Hospital Licenses Innovative Laparoscopic Trocar Cleaning Device to Tuoren Medical for RMB 300,000

Recently, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, released a public notice on the conversion of a patent, proposing to“A Laparoscopic Trocar Cleaning Device”Transferred to Henan Tuoren HEALTH Technology Co., Ltd. via patent implementation licensing, with a transaction amount of300,000 yuan. This device enables cleaning of the distal lumen without the need to insert a trocar obturator, thereby enhancing surgical safety and operational efficiency, facilitating the upgrade of medical equipment, and achieving mutual benefits for industry, academia, and research. The inventor of this patent isZhang Qian and His Team。

Laparoscopic surgery is a widely adopted minimally invasive diagnostic and therapeutic approach in clinical practice. Its core operational logic involves creating multiple small incisions (5–12 mm in diameter) in the patient’s abdominal or thoracic wall, into which trocars (also known as cannulas) are inserted. These trocars establish dedicated channels for the insertion and removal of surgical instruments and the endoscopic camera into the abdominal or thoracic cavity, thereby enabling various precise diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. However, during surgery, blood from the patient’s body easily accumulates within the internal lumen of the trocars. If not cleaned promptly, these blood residues gradually build up into stubborn stains, posing a significant obstacle to the smooth progression of the surgical procedure.

This issue causes blood contamination to directly soil the endoscopic lens passing through the trocar, resulting in a blurred surgical field. This significantly impairs medical staff’s observation of the lesion and operational precision, potentially prolonging surgery duration and increasing surgical risks. Meanwhile, the lumen at the distal end of the trocar (the end located inside the patient’s body) is concealed, making it difficult for conventional cleaning methods to reach; inadequate cleaning leads to persistent blood residue. Furthermore, the sealing valve of the trocar is a critical component for maintaining the airtightness of the surgical environment. Cleaning procedures must strictly avoid damaging it or accidentally pushing it into the patient’s body, as such incidents could pose safety hazards.

However, existing cleaning solutions all have significant drawbacks:

First, the traditional mainstream method of using curved surgical forceps to hold gauze strips for wiping is limited by the structural characteristics of the forceps themselves. This approach not only suffers from poor stability in holding the gauze and high operational difficulty, but also makes it challenging to reach the distal lumen of the trocar for thorough cleaning. Improper manipulation can easily damage the trocar’s seal valve, or even accidentally push the seal valve into the patient’s abdominal or thoracic cavity, posing additional health risks to the patient. Second, although current cleaning sleeve brush solutions have alleviated the difficulty of cleaning the distal lumen to some extent, they require the cleaning sleeve brush to be slid onto the middle-lower section of the trocar obturator. The process of attaching the cleaning brush after trocar insertion and removing it post-operatively is extremely cumbersome. Furthermore, this sleeving structure directly interferes with the core puncturing function of the trocar, thereby affecting the overall rhythm and efficiency of the surgical procedure.

Addressing the many shortcomings of existing cleaning protocols, this technology from Shijitan Hospital has achievedCleaning Efficacy, Operational Convenience, and Usage Safetya triple breakthrough. The core innovation of this device lies in the precise adaptation between its structure and function. On one hand, it adopts a modular design consisting of a “cap head + shaft,” enabling flexible assembly through two optimized connection structures: the first connecting post on the cap head can be connected to the second connecting post at the end of the shaft via threads or snap-fit mechanisms; alternatively, a fixing rod can penetrate through the shaft for secure fixation. Both approaches support rapid disassembly and replacement of the shaft, accommodating diverse clinical scenarios. On the other hand, the shaft is made from high-quality absorbent materials such as sponge or cotton swabs, with an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the trocar. Leveraging the deformability of these materials, the shaft can closely conform to the inner wall of the trocar for comprehensive wiping while efficiently absorbing residual blood and fluids within the lumen, thereby preventing lens contamination at the source. Meanwhile, the outer diameter of the fixing caps (or bases) at both ends of the shaft is smaller than that of the shaft itself, which not only enhances shaft stability but also effectively avoids damage to the trocar’s sealing valve or the risk of accidental displacement during cleaning, thus ensuring surgical safety.

Compared with existing solutions, this device does not need to be sleeved over the trocar obturator; it can be inserted independently to complete cleaning, thereby avoiding interference with the core puncture function of the trocar and simplifying the surgical workflow. The shaft can extend deep into the distal lumen of the trocar, precisely addressing the pain point of incomplete cleaning associated with traditional methods. Furthermore, the cap design facilitates quick insertion and removal by medical personnel, significantly enhancing surgical efficiency. The detachable nature of the shaft also reduces usage costs, meeting the economic requirements of clinical practice, and provides a more efficient, safe, and convenient solution for laparoscopic surgery cleaning.

With the widespread clinical application of laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery, pain points such as the cleaning efficiency of trocars and the safety of postoperative port-site healing have become increasingly prominent.

Recently, a wave of innovative products related to laparoscopic trocars has continued to emerge both domestically and internationally. These include specialized cleaning devices developed by leading domestic hospitals, as well as integrated suturing instruments launched by international and Chinese companies. These innovations represent multidimensional upgrades in terms of thoroughness of cleaning, operational compatibility, and prevention and control of postoperative complications, providing new solutions for the precision and safety of minimally invasive surgical procedures.

Peking University Third Hospital Laparoscopic Trocar Cleaning Device:Composed of a gripping section and a wiping section. The core innovation lies in the conical design of the wiping section, which facilitates insertion without damaging the outer seal of the trocar. The wiping section features a thin main body and a thick circumferential edge, enabling inversion during removal to increase the cleaning contact area. Its surface is coated with a hydrophobic layer to prevent secondary contamination. Made from soft, biocompatible materials and firmly attached to the gripping section, it avoids scratching the inner wall, component detachment, and toxic residues. The handle incorporates an anti-slip design, and the shaft is equipped with a baffle-style stopper, making it compatible with trocars of various diameters and ensuring thorough cleaning along the entire length.

Tongji Hospital Affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology: Laparoscopic Trocar Cleaning DeviceThe advantages lie in the built-in telescopic mechanism within the fixed cylinder, which allows for flexible length adjustment and easy storage through the coordinated action of an adjusting screw, a handle, and a telescopic rod, thereby accommodating trocars of varying lengths. The connecting block of the cleaning mechanism and the cleaning cotton sleeve are conical in shape, facilitating insertion to scrape away residual fluids. The top of the connecting block is securely attached to the telescopic rod via a storage slot, spring, moving frame, and wedge-shaped locking block (featuring a self-locking effect), which prevents the cleaning cotton sleeve from detaching while enabling convenient disassembly and replacement. Additionally, the outer wall of the fixed cylinder is equipped with a grooved anti-slip sleeve to enhance gripping stability.

Gordian Surgical's TroClose 2.0:This product has received FDA approval for market launch, designed to address postoperative port-site incisional hernias following laparoscopic surgery and achieve secure closure of trocar sites. Its innovation lies in the 180-degree suture deployment system, which utilizes a half-loop knot structure to reduce tissue tension by 75%. The device enables port-site closure without the need to maintain pneumoperitoneum or perform visualized manipulation, offering strong compatibility with the previous-generation TroClose 1200 technology. Clinical data demonstrate a 0% incidence of port-site incisional hernias at 12 months postoperatively, while also alleviating postoperative pain and reducing surgical costs and time.

Shengyian (Changzhou) Medical Technology Co., Ltd.:The newly launched disposable abdominal wall puncture and suturing device has received market approval. Its core function is to integrate puncture and fascial suturing capabilities, thereby reducing the risk of postoperative port-site hernias and incisional hernias (with a traditional incidence rate of 0.5–5%). Key innovations include an all-in-one design combining puncture and suturing functions, offering three suturing options. The device features an ergonomic design with a short learning curve and visualized puncture processes that prevent tissue damage, enabling blind suturing without laparoscopic assistance. It ensures adequate suture margins under pneumoperitoneum conditions and is equipped with a protective frame to prevent accidental injury. The success rate for fascial closure approaches 100%, significantly saving surgical time.

From technological innovations in Chinese hospitals to the industrial commercialization by domestic and international enterprises, laparoscopic trocar-related products are rapidly iterating toward “high-efficiency cleanliness, secure closure, and ease of use.” These products not only address core clinical pain points but also exemplify the deep integration of medical technology with clinical needs. In the future, they will further drive technological advancements in minimally invasive medicine, delivering superior surgical experiences and therapeutic outcomes for both patients and healthcare providers.