Anvil Assembly Delivery Suture Detachment Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing trans-oral delivery systems for surgical anvil assemblies lack effective methods for securing and detaching guide sutures, which are crucial for facilitating the insertion, operation, and emergency retrieval of the anvil assembly during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The anvil delivery system incorporates a retaining suture to secure the head assembly in a tilted position and a retrieval suture that extends through the anvil assembly, allowing for secure detachment and retrieval, with optional configurations for securing the retrieval suture around the center rod or cutting ring, enabling easy removal post-procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a guide suture is threaded through the anvil assembly to facilitate trans-oral insertion and retrieval, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases due to the need for secure attachment and detachment mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The guide suture is extracted as a separate, removable component from the anvil assembly. The suture can be threaded through the anvil during delivery and then completely removed after the anvil is secured to the stapling device, simplifying the overall system while maintaining ease of operation during critical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide suture is pre-threaded through the anvil assembly before delivery to the surgical site. This preliminary action ensures that the suture is already in position to facilitate trans-oral insertion and potential retrieval, eliminating the need for complex real-time manipulation during the procedure.
2Reliability
If the anvil assembly is secured to the delivery system for trans-oral delivery, then the reliability of delivery is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in detaching the anvil after delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The connection between the anvil assembly and delivery system transitions from a fixed state during delivery to a releasable state after delivery. The guide suture serves as a dynamic element that maintains secure attachment during the critical delivery phase but can be easily released afterward, allowing the system to adapt to different operational requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide suture acts as an intermediary element between the anvil assembly and the delivery system. It provides a secure mechanical connection during delivery while allowing for controlled detachment afterward, mediating between the conflicting requirements of reliable delivery and easy detachment without requiring complex locking or unlocking mechanisms.
3Ease of operation
If the guide suture remains external to the patient's mouth for retrieval purposes, then the ease of operation is improved for emergency retrieval, but the device complexity increases due to the need for external suture management
Solution Approach 1:
The guide suture is extracted through the patient's mouth and retained externally, separating the retrieval function from the internal anvil assembly. This allows the suture to serve as a simple, accessible pull-string for emergency retrieval without requiring complex internal mechanisms, while the external retention minimizes interference with the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The guide suture functions as a temporary, single-use element that is inserted for delivery and retrieval purposes and then discarded. This disposable approach eliminates the need for complex permanent attachment mechanisms, simplifying the overall device while maintaining ease of emergency retrieval through the externally accessible suture.
Data Source
AI summary
An anvil assembly suitable for trans-oral delivery includes an anvil head configured to receive a retrieval suture that is separable from the anvil head following delivery of the anvil assembly. An anvil delivery assembly includes the anvil assembly, a delivery assembly secured to the anvil assembly, and a retrieval suture selectively secured to the anvil assembly for retrieving the anvil assembly.