Anvil Buttress Snap-Clip Loading for Secure Stapler Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling apparatuses face challenges in securely and efficiently attaching anvil buttresses during surgical procedures, which are often manual, costly, and not straightforward.
Innovation Solution
An anvil buttress loading system with a snap clip mechanism on the anvil assembly and a loading tool that allows for a robust, releasable attachment of the anvil buttress, enabling easy and cost-effective installation in the operating room.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual attachment method is used, then flexibility in operating room is improved, but attachment reliability and security are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a dedicated loading tool as an intermediary device between the surgeon's manual operation and the anvil buttress attachment. The loading tool features a carrier with support plate and clip roller that mechanically mediates the attachment process, providing reliable engagement through the snap clip mechanism while maintaining operational flexibility through the tool's removable design.
Solution Approach 2:
The snap clip mechanism is designed to automatically engage and secure the anvil buttress to the anvil assembly when the loading tool is advanced. The clip roller automatically actuates the snap clip from closed to open position during loading, and the system self-secures the buttress body between the snap clip and tissue facing surface without requiring additional manual fastening steps.
2Reliability
If automated attachment process is used, then attachment reliability is improved, but cost and device complexity are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the attachment system into separate functional components: the anvil assembly with snap clip, the loading tool with carrier and clip roller, and the anvil buttress. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall simplicity. The loading tool itself is segmented into the carrier holding the buttress and the clip roller mechanism, enabling straightforward manufacturing and assembly.
3Productivity
If snap clip mechanism is used, then attachment speed is improved, but attachment security is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple security features into the single snap clip mechanism: the clip roller provides mechanical leverage for reliable engagement, the snap clip's convex/concave geometry ensures positive locking, and the buttress body is captured between the snap clip and tissue facing surface creating redundant retention. This merging of functions within one mechanism achieves both speed and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The snap clip is designed with specific curved geometries - the concave shape in closed position and convex shape in open position - that provide mechanical advantage and ensure reliable engagement. The curvature of the snap clip's engagement surfaces creates friction and mechanical interlocking that enhances security while maintaining quick attachment through the rolling action of the clip roller.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Facilitates a simple, secure, and cost-effective method for attaching anvil buttresses to surgical stapling apparatuses, enhancing the stability and effectiveness of tissue joining procedures.
Implementation Method 1
The snap clip is movable between a closed position having a generally concave shape relative to the tissue facing surface and an open position having a generally convex shape relative to the tissue facing surface
Implementation Method 2
The snap clip is movable from the closed position to the open position by the clip roller when advancing the anvil buttress loading tool onto the anvil assembly
Data Source
AI summary
An anvil buttress loading system includes an anvil assembly having a snap clip disposed on a tissue facing surface, a loading tool including a clip roller extending proximally from a support plate, and an anvil buttress including a buttress body. The snap clip is movable between closed and open positions having generally concave and convex shapes, respectively, relative to the tissue facing surface. The anvil buttress is releasably retained on the loading tool and is transferrable from the loading tool to the anvil assembly such that the buttress body is captured between the snap clip and the tissue facing surface of the anvil assembly. The snap clip is movable from the closed position to the open position by the clip roller when advancing the loading tool onto the anvil assembly and from the open position to the closed position when separating the loading tool from the anvil assembly.