A REVIEW OF PATENTS FOR ACHIEVING LAPAROSCOPIC LEN CLEANING DURING MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY

Introduction: In minimally invasive surgery, the laparoscopic lens may face contamination from condensation, smoke, blood, and debris, leading to obscured visual fields during this procedure. To address this challenge, researchers have developed numerous patents, as discussed in this systematic review. This review aims to investigate the patents proposed to achieve effective cleaning of laparoscopic lenses for optimal visualization during minimally invasive surgery.

Materials and Methods: An innovative methodology was employed to identify, describe, and categorize patents related to laparoscopic lens cleaners. The ESPACENET database was utilized to search for these patents, while patent descriptions and statuses were obtained from Google Patents and USPTO. Each patent status was assigned a score using a 3-point Likert scale: 2 points for granted, 1 point for pending, and 0 points for abandoned.

Results: A detailed examination was carried out on 61 identified patents, which were then sorted into two primary categories: mechanical interactions and chemical interactions. To enable comparisons, the scores within each category were combined. The results reveal that 48% of granted patents for laparoscopic lens cleaners are related to collision methods, while 56% of abandoned patents are associated with brush/wipe methods.

Conclusion: This review demonstrates that collision methods are the best among other methods for achieving a successful lens cleaner patent. This review recommends that future laparoscopic lens cleaning patents use a hydrophilic or hydrophobic lens surface combined with collision cleaner techniques.