Disposable Reusable Surgical Forceps Shaft Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical instruments, particularly forceps, face challenges in being cost-effective while maintaining functionality, as reusable instruments require efficient disposable and replaceable components that match the performance of single-use counterparts, and precise control over electrosurgical energy and mechanical clamping is necessary for effective tissue sealing and cutting.

Innovation Solution

The design of forceps with a disposable and reusable shaft member configuration, where the disposable shaft includes an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate and a knife assembly, and a trigger assembly for energy activation, allowing for precise tissue sealing and cutting, while the reusable shaft member is designed for sterilization and durability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If surgical instruments are designed as completely reusable, then cost-effectiveness improves through repeated use, but the complexity of ensuring consistent performance and sterilization capability increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effectivenessVSAvoidinstrument complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The forceps is divided into disposable and reusable portions, allowing the reusable shaft member to be sterilized and reused while the disposable shaft member ensures consistent performance for critical components like tissue sealing plates and knife assemblies

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the instrument have different reusability characteristics - the shaft member is designed for reuse while the jaw member with critical sealing components is disposable, optimizing both cost-effectiveness and performance consistency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If disposable components are used for each procedure, then performance consistency improves, but the cost per procedure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperformance consistencyVSAvoidcost per procedure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The instrument is segmented into disposable and reusable portions, with the disposable shaft member containing critical components like tissue sealing plates that require consistent performance, while the reusable shaft member reduces overall cost per procedure

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The disposable shaft member with tissue sealing plates and knife assembly is designed as a single-use component that ensures consistent performance for each procedure while the reusable shaft member amortizes its cost over multiple uses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

3Productivity

If reusable shaft members are designed with replaceable disposable components, then cost-effectiveness improves through reuse, but the ease of removing and replacing components must be optimized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effectivenessVSAvoidcomponent replacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The forceps is divided into disposable and reusable portions connected through a pivot coupling mechanism, allowing easy separation and replacement of the disposable shaft member with the reusable shaft member

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The disposable shaft member is designed to be easily removed and discarded after single use, while the reusable shaft member is recovered for sterilization and subsequent use with new disposable components

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

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 configuration enables cost-effective reuse of instruments with efficient disposable components, ensuring consistent performance and reducing surgical costs by allowing new components for each procedure, while maintaining precise control over electrosurgical energy and mechanical action for effective tissue handling.

Implementation Method 1

The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plates are adapted to conduct energy, e.g., from the source of energy via the wires, through tissue for sealing tissue grasped between the jaw members

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectJoule heating: Joule Heating

Data Source

PatentUS9770253B2Surgical forceps

Publication Date: 2017.09.26 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

A forceps includes a disposable shaft and a reusable shaft. The shafts each including a jaw member disposed at a distal end thereof. The shafts are releasably coupled to one another about a pivot and are moveable relative to one another for moving the jaw members between an open position and a closed position. The disposable shaft includes a first tissue sealing plate disposed thereon and an electrical connector coupled thereto that includes a plurality of wires extending therethrough and into the disposable shaft member. One or more wires is coupled to the first tissue sealing plate and one or more wires is coupled to a second tissue sealing plate that is configured for releasable engagement with the jaw member of the reusable shaft member. The tissue sealing plates are adapted to conduct energy through tissue for sealing tissue grasped between the jaw members.