Biased Cutting Element in Surgical Jaws
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Solution Overview
Problem
Endoscopic surgical instruments face challenges in effectively cutting thick or tough tissue due to spring-loaded jaws that can deflect during activation, leading to ineffective cutting and potential harm or jamming.
Innovation Solution
A surgical device with a cutting element biased towards the second jaw, allowing it to remain within a slot in the second jaw even when the first jaw deflects away, ensuring the cutting element stays on course and effectively cuts tissue, featuring a spring-biased configuration and a bowed cutting element design to maintain contact with the second jaw.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a spring-loaded jaw is used to accommodate tissue of varying thicknesses, then adaptability is improved, but the jaw can deflect during activation resulting in ineffective cutting and potential harm
Solution Approach 1:
The cutting element is separated from the jaw structure and guided through a dedicated slot, allowing the jaw to deflect for tissue accommodation while the cutting element maintains a stable, controlled path through the slot regardless of jaw position
Solution Approach 2:
The slot acts as an intermediary structure that guides the cutting element, decoupling the cutting path from jaw deflection. The slot ensures the cutting element remains constrained to the intended cutting trajectory even when the jaw moves to accommodate thick tissue
2Manufacturing precision
If the cutting element is constrained within a rigid structure, then cutting precision is improved, but the device cannot accommodate varying tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into the jaw assembly (which deflects to accommodate tissue thickness variations) and the cutting element guidance system (the slot that maintains precise cutting path), allowing each component to perform its specialized function independently
Solution Approach 2:
The slot provides a three-dimensional guided pathway that constrains the cutting element in multiple directions while allowing the jaw to move freely in the dimension relevant for accommodating tissue thickness, effectively adding a guidance dimension without restricting jaw flexibility
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
The biased cutting element design significantly reduces deviation and ensures effective cutting of anatomically difficult tissues, preventing jamming and harm, while maintaining precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
the first jaw is spring-biased to the closed configuration
Implementation Method 2
the cutting element is biased toward the second jaw such that, when thick tissue is engaged between the first and second jaws and causes the first jaw to move away from the second jaw against the spring-biased of the first jaw, the cutting element remains within the slot in the second jaw
Data Source
AI summary
Surgical devices and methods for cutting tissue are provided having a cutting element that is biased to facilitate tissue cutting. For example, a surgical device is provided with a handle that has an elongate shaft assembly with first and second jaws for engaging tissue. The surgical device includes a cutting element that is moveable through a slot formed in at least the second jaw for cutting tissue engaged between the first and second jaws. In an exemplary embodiment, the cutting element is biased toward the second jaw such that the cutting element remains within the slot in the second jaw when thick tissue is engaged.