Flexible Member Coupling for Surgical Stapler Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical staplers face challenges in maintaining proper alignment and applying consistent pressure due to their long and thin design, leading to deformation and limited staple line length, which results in inconsistent staple formation and increased surgical time.
Innovation Solution
An end effector design with a flexible member coupling the anvil and cartridge, allowing for two-point connection and tensioning to maintain alignment and pressure, enabling consistent staple formation across longer staple lines without the need for multiple reloads.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If minimally invasive surgical staplers are designed to be long and thin to fit through trocars, then they can be inserted into the body cavity for remote access, but they deform under compression pressure and cannot maintain proper alignment for B-shaped staple formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a fixed rigid structure to a dynamic flexible structure. The anvil and cartridge are connected by a flexible member that allows the device to adapt its shape while maintaining structural integrity under compression, enabling both insertability through trocars and maintenance of alignment for staple formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a flexible member (flexible shaft or flexible cable) to connect the anvil and cartridge, replacing traditional rigid connections. This flexible component allows the long and thin device to bend and flex without permanent deformation, maintaining alignment precision while enabling insertion through small incisions.
2Ease of operation
If the anvil and cartridge are connected with a fixed hinge allowing V-shaped separation, then the device can be manipulated for organ placement, but alignment becomes more difficult as length increases and deflection occurs under compression forces
Solution Approach 1:
The fixed hinge connection is replaced with a flexible member connection that provides dynamic adaptability. The flexible member allows the anvil and cartridge to maintain proper alignment throughout the range of motion during organ placement, while also maintaining alignment consistency when compression forces are applied during stapling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite construction with the flexible member providing both structural support and flexibility. This composite approach combines the rigidity needed for staple formation with the flexibility needed for manipulation and insertion, resolving the contradiction between manipulability and alignment reliability.
3Manufacturing precision
If the anvil and cartridge are made shorter to reduce deflection and improve alignment, then B-shaped staple formation is more reliable, but the staple line length is limited and multiple reloads are required
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible member connection enables the anvil and cartridge to remain aligned over longer distances, allowing the device to maintain staple formation consistency across extended staple lines without requiring multiple reloads, thereby improving productivity while preserving manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible member acts as a long-distance alignment mechanism, allowing the anvil and cartridge to stay properly aligned over the extended length required for longer staple lines, eliminating the need for multiple reloads while maintaining B-shaped staple formation consistency.
4Productivity
If multiple staple reloads are performed to achieve sufficient staple line length, then complete resection can be accomplished, but surgical time increases and the risk of inconsistent staple formation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible member connection enables a single firing to achieve sufficient staple line length by maintaining alignment over the extended distance, eliminating the need for multiple reloads and repositioning operations, thereby reducing surgical time while achieving complete resection.
Solution Approach 2:
The flexible member allows the device to perform continuous stapling action across a long staple line in a single firing, rather than requiring discontinuous reloads and repositioning, thereby reducing surgical time and maintaining consistent staple formation throughout the entire resection.
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 enhances maneuverability and uniform pressure application, allowing for consistent and quality resection lines during minimally invasive procedures, reducing surgical time and improving staple formation integrity.
Implementation Method 1
a flexible member movably couples the first end of the cartridge to the first end of the anvil, and the second end of the cartridge is movably coupled to the second end of the anvil
Data Source
AI summary
An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a minimally invasive procedure can include an anvil, a cartridge, and a knife. The anvil includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on a first side of the anatomical structure. The cartridge is configured to house a plurality of staples and includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on a second side of the anatomical structure. The knife has a cutting edge, the knife being operably configured to move from a first position at about a distal end of the end effector to a second position at about a proximal end of the end effector. The distal end of the anvil is movably coupled to the distal end of the cartridge.