Anvil Staple Pockets Curved Axes Uniform Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing circular surgical stapling devices have a non-uniform gap between staple forming pockets and retaining pockets, leading to inconsistent staple placement and pressure distribution during curved or circular anastomosis procedures, which can result in inefficiencies and potential complications.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates an anvil assembly with staple forming pockets of varying lengths in concentric annular rows, where each annular row has an equal number of pockets with a consistent gap between them, and a staple cartridge assembly with corresponding curved staple retaining slots, allowing for nested pocket configurations and uniform radial and longitudinal spacing for even tissue pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If staple forming pockets and retaining pockets are arranged in concentric annular rows with equal number of pockets per row, then the device can maintain structural symmetry and simplify manufacturing, but the gap between adjacent pockets increases radially outward leading to non-uniform staple placement and pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the staple forming pockets and retaining pockets have different lengths along the radial direction. Specifically, the staple forming pockets have a first length and the retaining pockets have a second length, creating non-uniform local dimensions to compensate for the increasing gap between pockets in outer annular rows. This ensures uniform staple placement and pressure distribution across all annular rows despite the concentric arrangement.
2Manufacturing precision
If the gap between adjacent pockets is reduced in outer annular rows to maintain uniform spacing, then staple placement uniformity improves, but the structural complexity of the anvil assembly and cartridge assembly increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by creating non-uniform pocket lengths where staple forming pockets and retaining pockets have different dimensions along the radial direction. This asymmetric design allows the gaps between pockets to be compensated for, maintaining uniform staple placement without requiring complex adjustment mechanisms or additional components.
3Ease of manufacture
If straight longitudinal axes are used for staple forming pockets and retaining pockets, then the design is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the gap between pockets varies radially outward creating inconsistent staple spacing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by configuring the staple forming pockets and retaining pockets with curved longitudinal axes instead of straight axes. The curved axes are concentric with the anvil assembly and cartridge assembly, allowing the pockets to follow the radial curvature. This enables uniform gap spacing between adjacent pockets across all annular rows while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through the use of standard curved surface fabrication techniques.
Data Source
AI summary
An anvil assembly, an end effector, and/or a surgical stapler are suitable for performing curved or circular anastomosis and/or treatment to internal walls of hollow tissue organs. The anvil assembly includes an anvil center rod and an anvil head secured to a distal end of the anvil center rod. The anvil head includes an anvil plate defining a tissue contact surface and a plurality of staple forming pockets formed in the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate. Each of the staple forming pockets defines an arcuate longitudinal axis.