Modified Trocar Helps Avert Laparoscopic Surgery Injuries
|
By HospiMedica International staff writers Posted on 05 Jan 2015 |

Image: Prototype of the new trocar for laparoscopic procedures (Photo courtesy of Nottingham Trent University).
A new trocar for laparoscopic procedures uses an automatic needle safety mechanism which causes it to withdraw the moment it enters the abdominal cavity.
Developed by researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU; United Kingdom) and Olberon Medical Innovations (Loos, France), the modified trocar is based on a mechanism which monitors changes in the pressure of the insertion, and inflates a diaphragm which activates its own withdrawal by the force of a tiny spring, after it passes through the muscle and tissue.
“It’s imperative that the trocar is improved to help avoid the kinds of accidents which can cause serious and fatal injuries, no matter how rare,” said Prof. Amin Al-Habaibeh, PhD, of the NTU school of architecture, design, and the built environment, who developed the trocar together with research assistant Joaquim Justino Netto, a student from Brazil on placement as part of the Science Without Borders scholarship. “This simple invention could be an important tool which prevents accidents and enables surgeons to carry out this routine procedure with increased confidence at a lower risk of injury to the patient.”
“This advanced trocar is a significant improvement on existing products and highlights the importance of industry working with academia,” said Arash Bakhtyari, MD, managing director of Olberon Medical Innovations. “Through the longstanding and successful collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, we have developed a novel medical invention which has the potential to help doctors and patients around the world.”
Although complications are rare, bowel perforations or bile duct injuries which remain undiagnosed until after surgery can result in life threatening complications such as circulatory collapse or septic shock. Data from the UK National Patient Safety Agency (London, United Kingdom) shows that between 2003 and 2010, there were 48 serious incidents relating to laparoscopic surgery, including 11 deaths.
Related Links:
Nottingham Trent University
Olberon Medical Innovations
National Patient Safety Agency
Developed by researchers at Nottingham Trent University (NTU; United Kingdom) and Olberon Medical Innovations (Loos, France), the modified trocar is based on a mechanism which monitors changes in the pressure of the insertion, and inflates a diaphragm which activates its own withdrawal by the force of a tiny spring, after it passes through the muscle and tissue.
“It’s imperative that the trocar is improved to help avoid the kinds of accidents which can cause serious and fatal injuries, no matter how rare,” said Prof. Amin Al-Habaibeh, PhD, of the NTU school of architecture, design, and the built environment, who developed the trocar together with research assistant Joaquim Justino Netto, a student from Brazil on placement as part of the Science Without Borders scholarship. “This simple invention could be an important tool which prevents accidents and enables surgeons to carry out this routine procedure with increased confidence at a lower risk of injury to the patient.”
“This advanced trocar is a significant improvement on existing products and highlights the importance of industry working with academia,” said Arash Bakhtyari, MD, managing director of Olberon Medical Innovations. “Through the longstanding and successful collaboration with Nottingham Trent University, we have developed a novel medical invention which has the potential to help doctors and patients around the world.”
Although complications are rare, bowel perforations or bile duct injuries which remain undiagnosed until after surgery can result in life threatening complications such as circulatory collapse or septic shock. Data from the UK National Patient Safety Agency (London, United Kingdom) shows that between 2003 and 2010, there were 48 serious incidents relating to laparoscopic surgery, including 11 deaths.
Related Links:
Nottingham Trent University
Olberon Medical Innovations
National Patient Safety Agency
Latest Surgical Techniques News
- Implantable Ultrasound Device Enhances Local Drug Delivery in Glioblastoma
- FDA-Cleared Thrombectomy System Removes Pulmonary Embolism Clots

- Miniature Image Sensor Enables Digital Imaging in Single-Use Endoscopes
- Transcatheter Repair System Gains FDA Approval for Severe Tricuspid Regurgitation
- Half-Matched Family Donors Could Expand Transplant Access for Severe Aplastic Anemia
- Dual-Imaging Catheter Completes Initial Human Evaluation of Coronary Plaque
- Shape-Changing Hydrogels Show Promise for Tissue Engineering and Wound Healing
- Combined Wound Healing Approach Pairs Synthetic Scaffold With Negative Pressure Therapy
- 3D Printing Method Could Enable More Flexible Cardiovascular Implants
- Augmented Reality Helps Locate Hidden Tumors During Liver Surgery
- FDA Approves Bioabsorbable Patch Technology for Large-Bore Vascular Closure
- New Ultrasonic Surgical Platform Adds Control for Bone and Soft Tissue Removal
- Targeted Radiotherapy Before Surgery Improves Control of Kidney Cancer Thrombus
- Robotic Approach Enables Minimally Invasive Repair of Hard-to-Reach Abdominal Hernias
- New Surgical Technique Enlarges Aortic Root for Larger Valve Implantation

- FDA Approval Expands Bridging Stent Use in Complex Aortic Aneurysm Repair
Channels
Artificial Intelligence
view channel
AI Chatbot Helps Women Identify Heart Disease Risks and Symptoms
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women and affects more than 60 million women in the U.S. Despite public health campaigns, awareness of its causes, risk factors, and symptoms has declined,... Read more
AI Tool Prioritizes Peer Referrals to Expand HIV Testing Access
Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) remains a major public health challenge when people at risk lack timely testing and care. In South Africa, men and adolescents are among those less likely to seek testing... Read moreCritical Care
view channel
Circuit-Free Smart Patch Uses Smartphone Camera to Monitor Pulse and Vessel Stiffness
Routine cardiovascular monitoring often relies on electronic sensors, cables, or specialized equipment, which can limit its use beyond hospitals, ambulances, general practice clinics, and emergency rooms.... Read moreChest Digital Twin Guides Light Therapy Dosing for Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can impair gas exchange and progress to severe respiratory compromise. Light-based therapies may help treat infection or inflammation, but externally applied light must... Read morePatient Care
view channel
Expert Review Outlines Diagnosis and Treatment of Recurrent Catheter Infections
Patients who rely on long-term intravenous catheters for chemotherapy, hemodialysis, intravenous nutrition, and other essential therapies remain at risk of catheter-related bloodstream infections.... Read more
Total-Body PET/CT Scanner Enables One-Minute Diagnostic-Quality Cancer Imaging
Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) combines radiotracer-based functional imaging with anatomical detail to diagnose, stage, and monitor cancer. Conventional scanners image the body... Read moreMedical Imaging
view channel
Privacy-Preserving AI Tool Synthesizes CT for Radiation Therapy Planning
Radiation therapy planning depends on accurate medical imaging to calculate dose, visualize organs, and position patients during treatment. Hospitals need large imaging datasets to train robust artificial... Read more
Tissue Around Breast Microcalcifications Emerges as a Key Source of Diagnostic Information
Breast microcalcifications are small calcium deposits that are often detected on mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis. Clinicians use their morphology and distribution to assess suspicious breast... Read moreHealth IT
view channel
Clinical Decision Support Tool Automates CKD Risk Assessment in Primary Care
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) requires timely diagnosis, risk assessment, and coordinated treatment in primary care. Delayed recognition can affect decisions about testing, blood pressure control, cardiovascular... Read more
EHR Alerts Support Dosing, Sedation, and Shock Recognition in Cardiac Care
Electronic health record alerts can add to clinician workload when they are poorly targeted. In critical cardiac care, however, delayed decisions can affect treatment timing, sedation exposure, and escalation... Read morePoint of Care
view channel
Continuous Glucose Monitoring Identifies Cardiometabolic Risk in Adults Without Diabetes
Dysglycemia—abnormal blood glucose regulation—can fluctuate throughout the day and often escape conventional screening. Clinicians typically rely on fasting plasma glucose and hemoglobin A1c, which offer... Read more
Microneedle Patch Enables At-Home Monitoring of Acute Kidney Injury
Kidney disease is often silent in its early stages, making timely detection difficult outside clinical settings. Early biomarkers such as neutrophil gelatinase–associated lipocalin can require blood draws... Read moreBusiness
view channel
Steris to Expand Surgical Safety Portfolio With $2.1 Billion Xodus Medical Deal
Steris has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Xodus Medical, a specialty surgical products business based in Pennsylvania, for $2.1 billion at closing. The acquisition will expand Steris’s healthcare... Read more
Stryker Enters Soft-Tissue Robotics Through Strategic Alliance With CMR Surgical
Stryker (Portage, MI, USA) and CMR Surgical (Cambridge, UK) have announced a strategic alliance centered on the Versius Surgical Robotic portfolio. The agreement includes an approximately USD 400 million... Read more







