Surgical Fastener Cartridge with Tissue Thickness Compensator
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling instruments face challenges in effectively compensating for varying tissue thickness, leading to inconsistent staple formation and tissue handling.
Innovation Solution
A fastener cartridge with a compressible tissue thickness compensator and a gap setting element, which allows for adjustable positioning between the anvil and the tissue thickness compensator, ensuring proper staple deployment and tissue capture regardless of tissue thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a fixed-position tissue thickness compensator is used, then the structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate varying tissue thicknesses leading to inconsistent staple formation
Solution Approach 1:
The tissue thickness compensator is designed with compressible material that can dynamically adjust its thickness to accommodate varying tissue depths. The compensator compresses under the anvil during stapling, allowing the same cartridge to work with different tissue thicknesses while maintaining consistent staple formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The compensator material's compressibility parameter is utilized to change its physical state from uncompressed to compressed during the stapling process. This parameter change allows the compensator to adapt to different tissue thicknesses, ensuring consistent staple formation regardless of the original tissue depth.
2Manufacturing precision
If the gap between anvil and tissue thickness compensator is not controlled, then the device is easier to operate, but staple deployment precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gap setting element is pre-configured in the cartridge to establish the correct initial gap between the anvil and tissue thickness compensator before stapling begins. This preliminary positioning ensures that when tissue is placed, the anvil will be at the correct distance from the compensator, enabling precise staple deployment without requiring complex real-time adjustments during operation.
3Reliability
If the anvil is positioned too close to the tissue thickness compensator, then tissue capture is improved, but the tissue thickness compensator cannot be properly compressed
Solution Approach 1:
The gap setting element pre-establishes the correct distance between the anvil and tissue thickness compensator, ensuring that when tissue is captured, there is sufficient space for the compensator to compress properly while still maintaining reliable tissue capture. This preliminary gap configuration prevents both excessive distance and insufficient compression.
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 solution ensures consistent staple formation and improved tissue handling by accommodating varying tissue thicknesses, enhancing the precision and effectiveness of surgical stapling procedures.
Implementation Method 1
relative movement between the anvil and the tissue thickness compensator is configured to compress the tissue thickness compensator and push the top surface toward the cartridge deck until the relative movement is inhibited by the gap setting element
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1E
AI summary
A fastener cartridge can comprise a support portion, a tissue thickness compensator positioned relative to the support portion, and a plurality of fasteners positioned within the support portion and/or the tissue thickness compensator which can be utilized to fasten tissue. In use, the fastener cartridge can be arranged in a first jaw of a surgical fastening device, wherein a second jaw, or anvil, can be positioned opposite the first jaw. To deploy the fasteners, a staple-deploying member is advanced through the fastener cartridge to move the fasteners toward the anvil. As the fasteners are deployed, the fasteners can capture at least a portion of the tissue thickness compensator therein along with at least a portion of the tissue being fastened. The fastener cartridge can further comprise a gap setting element (22159a,22159b) which can be configured to control the distance between the anvil, the support portion, and/or the tissue thickness compensator.