Anvil Buttress Retention System for Surgical Staplers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical buttresses for stapling apparatus lack a secure and efficient mechanism for attachment and detachment, which can lead to instability and reduced effectiveness in reinforcing and sealing tissue during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The development of an anvil buttress retention system with a retention member featuring an elongated body with barbs, allowing for slidable and secure attachment to the anvil assembly, and a method for loading the anvil buttress onto the surgical stapling apparatus, ensuring the buttress is securely fastened before stapling and easily released post-procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a retention mechanism is added to secure the buttress to the anvil assembly, then the stability and reliability of the buttress attachment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retention member is divided into distinct functional segments: a body portion with barbs for engagement, a looped end for attachment, and a free end for manipulation. This segmentation allows each portion to perform its specific function independently, achieving reliable buttress retention while maintaining operational simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using a complex locking mechanism that requires multiple components, the design inverts the approach by using a simple looped configuration where the retention member attaches to itself. The barbs provide one-way engagement that secures the buttress without requiring additional fastening components, thus improving reliability while minimizing complexity
2Ease of operation
If the retention member is designed to be slidable for easy loading, then the ease of operation is improved, but the security of attachment may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The retention member transitions from a static secured state to a dynamic slidable state during loading. The barbs are positioned to allow the retention member to slide along the anvil assembly during insertion, then engage and lock into place once the buttress is properly positioned, providing both ease of loading and secure attachment
Solution Approach 2:
The barbs on the retention member act as an intermediary mechanism that facilitates the transition between sliding and locking states. During loading, the barbs allow smooth movement; once positioned, they engage with the anvil assembly to prevent displacement, thus mediating between ease of operation and attachment security
3Reliability
If multiple retention members are used to secure the buttress, then the reliability of attachment is improved, but the device complexity and difficulty of operation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The single retention member is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides structural support, secures the buttress to the anvil assembly, and facilitates loading through its slidable configuration. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate retention components, maintaining reliability while preserving operational simplicity
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical stapling apparatus includes an end effector having an anvil assembly and a staple cartridge assembly, and an anvil buttress retention system releasably disposed on the anvil assembly. The anvil buttress retention system includes an anvil buttress and a retention member including an elongated body looped around at least a portion of the anvil buttress with a free end of the elongated body extendable through a looped end of the elongated body in an untightened configuration such that the anvil buttress retention system is slidable relative to the anvil assembly. The free end of the retention member is movable relative to and through the looped end to a tightened configuration to secure the anvil buttress retention system to the anvil assembly.