Deflectable Staging Assembly for Surgical Fastener Applicator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical fasteners for hernia mesh attachment in endoscopic procedures face challenges with inconsistent and repeatable penetration due to either excessive force, which can damage the fastener, or insufficient force, leading to tissue tenting, and existing devices are not designed for secure and consistent deployment.
Innovation Solution
An applicator instrument with a firing system that advances a firing rod at two speeds, initially piloting the insertion fork slowly into the surgical fastener and then rapidly deploying it into tissue, ensuring secure insertion without damaging the fastener, and allowing for consistent and repeatable penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If excessive force is applied to penetrate tissue, then penetration speed is improved, but the fastener is damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The firing rod is divided into two functional segments: a pilot portion that initially engages the fastener and advances it into tissue at low speed, and a main body that subsequently drives the fastener at high speed. This segmentation allows the penetration process to occur in two distinct phases, preventing damage to the fastener while achieving rapid penetration.
Solution Approach 2:
The pilot portion of the firing rod performs a preliminary action by slowly advancing the fastener into the tissue before the main high-speed penetration occurs. This preliminary engagement prepares the fastener and tissue interface, ensuring the fastener is properly positioned and oriented before the full force of the main firing rod is applied, thus preventing damage.
2Strength
If insufficient force is applied to penetrate tissue, then fastener integrity is preserved, but tissue tenting occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The firing system transitions from a static, single-speed mechanism to a dynamic, two-speed system. The pilot portion operates at low speed to gently engage and advance the fastener, while the main body subsequently operates at high speed to complete penetration. This dynamic adjustment of speed ensures both fastener integrity and reliable, consistent penetration without tissue tenting.
3Device complexity
If a single-speed firing mechanism is used, then device complexity is reduced, but penetration consistency is poor
Solution Approach 1:
Different portions of the firing rod are assigned different functional qualities: the pilot portion is designed for low-speed, gentle engagement and alignment, while the main body is designed for high-speed, forceful penetration. This local differentiation of functional qualities within a single firing rod enables consistent and reliable penetration without requiring a complex multi-component system.
Data Source
AI summary
An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, an elongated shaft, surgical fasteners disposed in the elongated shaft, a firing system for dispensing the surgical fasteners, a firing rod disposed within the elongated shaft and movable within a first plane, and an advancer disposed within the elongated shaft and moveable within a second plane. An actuator is coupled with the advancer for moving the advancer back and forth between retracted and extended positions. A staging assembly at the distal end of the elongated shaft aligns a leading surgical fastener with the first plane. The staging assembly includes a biasing device that is configured to be deflected away from the first plane by the advancer when the advancer is in the extended position and the staging assembly is configured to spring back into alignment with the first plane when the advancer returns back to the retracted position.