Interchangeable Wire and Stamped Staple Cartridges for Tissue Cutting
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling and cutting instruments face challenges in efficiently deploying staples and cutting tissue with precise control over staple deployment and tissue gap management, particularly in minimally invasive procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical stapling system with an end effector featuring a staple cartridge and an anvil, where staples are deployed using a sled and firing member, and a knife for incising tissue, allowing for controlled staple ejection and tissue cutting, with interchangeable cartridges and articulation for various surgical needs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a surgical stapling system uses a sled and firing member to deploy staples, then precise control over staple deployment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sled acts as an intermediary component between the firing member and the staples. It receives the driving force from the firing member and transfers it to the staples through engagement surfaces, enabling controlled staple deployment while distributing mechanical stresses and simplifying the overall system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The stapling system is segmented into distinct functional modules: the staple cartridge containing multiple rows of staples, the sled that engages and propels the staples, and the firing member that drives the sled. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining precise control over the stapling process
2Adaptability or versatility
If interchangeable staple cartridges are used, then versatility for various surgical needs is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector is designed with a universal interface that can accommodate multiple types of staple cartridges with different configurations (e.g., different staple row arrangements, staple types). This universal design allows a single end effector to perform multiple surgical functions by simply changing the cartridge, enhancing versatility without requiring multiple specialized devices
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic reconfiguration of the stapling capability by enabling cartridge interchangeability. The end effector maintains a consistent structural framework while the removable cartridges provide variable staple patterns and types, allowing the system to adapt to different surgical requirements through simple cartridge replacement rather than complex reconfiguration
Data Source
AI summary
A staple cartridge system is disclosed which can be interchangeably used with a staple cartridge comprising wire staples and a staple cartridge comprising stamped staples.