Adjustable Staple Height Mechanism for Surgical Staplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical staplers lack an adjustable formed staple height, leading to issues such as suture-hole bleeding and anastomotic leakage due to inconsistent tissue thickness, which can be life-threatening.
Innovation Solution
A surgical stapler with an adjustment mechanism that adjusts the distance between the drive assembly and the anvil, using a cartridge support washer and adjustment washer with step surfaces to change the formed staple height, allowing for customizable staple height based on tissue thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the formed staple height is fixed, then the device structure is simple, but the stapler cannot adapt to different tissue thicknesses, causing suture-hole bleeding or anastomotic leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the formed staple height adjustable rather than fixed. The drive assembly can be positioned at different locations along the stapler body through an adjustment mechanism, allowing the staple height to be dynamically changed according to tissue thickness requirements. This resolves the contradiction by enabling adaptability to different tissue conditions while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical adjustment structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the stapler into adjustable components. The drive assembly is separated and can be repositioned along the stapler body, with the adjustment mechanism allowing selective positioning. This modular approach enables height adjustment without significantly increasing overall device complexity, as the adjustment function is isolated to a specific mechanism rather than requiring complex integration throughout the entire device.
2Ease of operation
If the formed staple height is excessive, then the staple can penetrate thick tissue, but suture-hole bleeding occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by allowing the formed staple height to be adjusted as a variable parameter based on tissue thickness. By changing the position of the drive assembly, the staple height parameter can be optimized for each specific tissue condition, ensuring effective stapling while preventing suture-hole bleeding that occurs with excessive height.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the formed staple height is insufficient, then the staple remains low, but tissue around cutting edges dies and anastomotic leakage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by enabling adjustment of the formed staple height to ensure adequate tissue inclusion. By increasing the staple height parameter when needed, the system prevents tissue necrosis and anastomotic leakage while maintaining effective stapling, resolving the contradiction between preventing harm and ensuring stapling effectiveness.
Data Source
AI summary
An adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler comprises a first handle portion and a second handle portion. The first handle portion comprises a cartridge support located at a distal end, a cartridge assembly, a drive assembly, and the adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple, and the second handle portion comprises an anvil located at a distal end. The cartridge assembly comprises suture staples, and the drive assembly can drive a suture staple to leave the cartridge assembly to reach the anvil to be pressed and formed. The adjustment structure adjusts a distance between the drive assembly and the anvil to adjust a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler. This application further relates to a stapler, comprising the adjustment mechanism for adjusting a formed staple height of a suture staple in a stapler.