Dynamic Arbor Staple Cartridge for Variable Tissue Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical staplers face challenges in accommodating a wide range of tissue thicknesses, leading to issues such as poorly formed staples, high firing loads, and the need for precise anvil pocket alignment, which can result in necrosis, bleeding, or poor staple retention due to buckling and misalignment.
Innovation Solution
The use of arbors or staple forming surfaces integrated into the staple cartridge to curl staple legs as they exit, eliminating the need for anvil pockets and reducing the reliance on precise alignment, thereby allowing a single stapler to accommodate various tissue thicknesses and types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional surgical staplers use anvil pockets for staple formation, then staple formation can be achieved, but precise alignment is required which increases device complexity and reduces adaptability to different tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the anvil component entirely from the stapler system. Instead of using traditional anvil pockets for staple formation, the invention integrates all necessary forming surfaces directly into the cartridge assembly, eliminating the need for separate anvil alignment and reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability to various tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the anvil's staple forming function with the cartridge assembly by integrating forming surfaces directly into the cartridge. This merging eliminates the need for separate anvil alignment mechanisms and allows the single integrated component to accommodate different tissue thicknesses through its designed geometry
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional staplers use static guide surfaces, then manufacturing is simplified, but staple formation consistency deteriorates across varying tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic guide surfaces that are capable of movement or adjustment within the cartridge assembly. These dynamic surfaces can adapt their position or configuration based on tissue thickness, ensuring consistent staple formation across varying conditions while maintaining manufacturability through controlled movement mechanisms
3Manufacturing precision
If conventional staplers require precise anvil pocket alignment, then staple formation accuracy is improved, but firing load increases due to buckling and misalignment issues
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the anvil component entirely, the patent eliminates the alignment issues that cause buckling and increased firing loads. The integrated cartridge design provides inherent alignment through its single-component structure, maintaining staple formation accuracy while significantly reducing the force required to fire staples
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
This approach reduces the firing load, improves staple formation consistency, and allows for a single stapler to be used with different cartridge reloads, minimizing the need for complex modularity and adapters, while ensuring proper staple retention and tissue sealing.
Implementation Method 1
a compressible member (4740) spanning between the guide surfaces (4730), wherein a compression force applied to the compressible member (4740) causes a movement of the guide surfaces (4730) laterally within the staple cavity (4710)
Data Source
AI summary
A staple cartridge including: a proximal end; a distal end; a tissue supporting deck; a staple cavity defined in the deck and configured to hold a staple; a set of guide surfaces disposed adjacent the staple cavity; a driver configured to drive the staple out of the staple cavity; and a sled movable from the proximal end to the distal end of the staple cartridge during a firing stroke to lift the driver. A subset of the set of guide surfaces are movable relative to a remaining set of the set of guide surfaces in response to movement of a movable cartridge component during the firing stroke. The subset of the set of guide surfaces are configured to curl the staple during the firing stroke.