Collapsible Anvil Head for Laparoscopic Stapling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current circular staplers used in laparoscopic roux-en-y gastric bypass procedures are time-consuming and pose risks due to the complexity of aligning separate stapler and anvil heads, which can lead to esophageal or hypopharyngeal injuries and enlarged trocar sites.
Innovation Solution
A surgical stapling apparatus with a one-piece design featuring a tiltable anvil head assembly that can be pivoted between tilted and transverse positions, allowing it to be passed through a single trocar site, and moveable anvil plates that can be tensioned to open or close, facilitating easier alignment and staple firing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate stapler head and anvil head are inserted through different holes, then the anastomosis can be completed, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and presents additional risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the stapler head and anvil head into a single integrated anvil assembly that can be inserted through one trocar site. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head with staple receiving surfaces and a stapler head with staple dispensing mechanism integrated together, eliminating the need for separate insertion through different holes and reducing procedural time while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The anvil assembly is designed with movable anvil plates that can be separated or adjusted relative to each other. The anvil head includes multiple anvil plates that can be positioned independently to facilitate alignment with the stapler head, allowing the complex function to be divided into manageable segments that are easier to insert and align
2Reliability
If separate stapler head and anvil head are aligned, then the anastomosis can be completed, but the alignment process is time-consuming and presents additional risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces alignment features such as alignment pins, guide rails, or keyed interfaces between the anvil assembly and stapler head that automatically guide proper alignment when the components are brought together. These intermediary alignment mechanisms eliminate the need for manual alignment adjustments and reduce the time required to achieve accurate positioning
Solution Approach 2:
The anvil plates are designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing them to adjust their position dynamically during the insertion and alignment process. This mobility enables the anvil plates to self-align with the stapler head components, reducing the time and complexity of the alignment procedure while maintaining accurate positioning
3Ease of operation
If anvil head is placed through gastrotomy, then the anvil head can be inserted, but it requires additional opening and closing of stomach hole
Solution Approach 1:
The stapler head and anvil head are merged into a single anvil assembly that can be inserted through one trocar site in the abdominal wall, eliminating the need for separate gastrotomy (stomach opening) to insert the anvil head. This integration reduces the number of surgical steps required while maintaining ease of insertion through the single access point
Data Source
AI summary
Various implementations of the invention provide for a one-piece surgical stapling apparatus that includes a stapler head and an anvil head assembly. The anvil head assembly is tiltable between a tilted position and a transverse position, and anvil plates of the anvil head assembly are moveable about one or more hinges between a closed and an open position. When in the tilted and closed positions, the anvil assembly has a reduced footprint that allows the anvil assembly to be passed directly through a trocar and holes created in the bodily tissues, which eliminates the need for separate placement of the anvil head. At the site of the anastomosis, the anvil head assembly can be moved to the transverse and open positions, and the stapling head may be engaged to fire staples against the anvil head.