Anvil Buttress Strap Lock for Secure Surgical Stapling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical stapling apparatuses face challenges in the complexity of manufacturing and application of buttress materials, which are used to reinforce tissue defects, and the range of their application is limited.

Innovation Solution

The development of an anvil buttress with a strap lock mechanism that secures the buttress to the anvil assembly, utilizing a tissue stop and strap lock to prevent migration, and a distal finger to retain the buttress, facilitating easy attachment and detachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional buttress loading methods are used, then the buttress material can be applied to reinforce tissue defects, but the manufacturing and application complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetissue defect reinforcementVSAvoidmanufacturing and application complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The buttress material is divided into discrete units with individual straps that can be independently loaded onto the anvil. Each strap acts as a separate loading element, allowing the complex buttress structure to be assembled from simpler, manageable segments that reduce overall manufacturing and application complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The strap serves as an intermediary element between the buttress material and the anvil assembly. Instead of directly attaching the complex buttress structure to the anvil, the strap acts as a simple mediator that connects the two components, significantly reducing the complexity of the attachment mechanism.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If traditional buttress attachment methods are used, then the buttress can be secured to the anvil, but the ease of attachment and detachment is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuttress securementVSAvoidease of attachment and detachment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The strap lock mechanism transitions from a static attachment to a dynamic system that can be easily engaged and disengaged. The leaf spring provides a movable locking action that can be quickly actuated during surgery, allowing surgeons to attach and detach the buttress material with minimal effort and time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The strap lock mechanism is designed to automatically engage and lock when the strap is inserted through the tissue stop. The leaf spring automatically springs into place to secure the strap, eliminating the need for complex manual locking procedures and simplifying the attachment process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If the strap lock mechanism is added to secure the buttress, then the securement reliability improves, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebuttress securement reliabilityVSAvoidmechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The strap lock mechanism is applied locally at specific points along the strap rather than requiring complex mechanisms along the entire length of the buttress. By concentrating the locking function at discrete locations where the strap passes through the tissue stop, the overall device complexity is minimized while maintaining securement reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The strap and associated locking components are designed as disposable elements that are loaded onto the anvil during surgery and then discarded after use. This eliminates the need for complex, reusable locking mechanisms, reducing device complexity while maintaining adequate securement reliability for the surgical procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Data Source

PatentEP3834766B1Anvil buttress loading for a surgical stapling apparatus
Publication Date: 2025.07.30 COVIDIEN LP
  • EP3834766B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3834766B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP3834766B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

An end effector of a surgical stapling apparatus includes an anvil buttress and an anvil assembly. The anvil buttress has a proximal end portion including a strap. The anvil assembly includes an anvil body having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion. The proximal end portion has a tissue stop configured to prevent proximal tissue migration. The tissue stop includes a strap lock. The strap lock is configured to secure the strap of the anvil buttress to the anvil assembly to secure the anvil buttress to the anvil assembly.