Surgical Stapler Anvil With Laterally Varying Staple Pockets

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical staplers face a challenge in balancing tight tissue compression with optimal leak path resistance, as 2D staples provide tight compression but sub-optimal leak resistance, while 3D staples offer improved leak resistance at the cost of loose tissue compression.

Innovation Solution

The surgical stapler incorporates an anvil jaw with laterally varying staple forming pockets, including inner, intermediate, and outer rows with unique geometries and orientations to form staples with varying dimensions, achieving a balance between tight tissue compression and leak path resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Force

If 2D staple configuration is used, then tissue compression is tight, but leak path resistance is sub-optimal

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue compressionVSAvoidleak path resistance

Core Design Contradiction:

ForceVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The anvil incorporates multiple rows of staple forming pockets (inner, intermediate, outer rows) with different geometries and orientations. The inner row pockets form 2D staples for tight compression, while the outer row pockets form 3D staples for improved leak resistance. Each row is optimized for its specific function, allowing the system to achieve both tight tissue compression and optimal leak path resistance simultaneously through spatial differentiation of staple configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If 3D staple configuration is used, then leak path resistance is improved, but tissue compression becomes loose

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveleak path resistanceVSAvoidtissue compression

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The anvil incorporates multiple rows of staple forming pockets (inner, intermediate, outer rows) with different geometries and orientations. The inner row pockets form 2D staples for tight compression, while the outer row pockets form 3D staples for improved leak resistance. Each row is optimized for its specific function, allowing the system to achieve both tight tissue compression and optimal leak path resistance simultaneously through spatial differentiation of staple configurations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of manufacture

If uniform staple geometry is used, then manufacturing is simple, but performance balance between compression and leak resistance cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestaple forming pocket geometryVSAvoidperformance balance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The anvil is segmented into multiple distinct rows of staple forming pockets (inner, intermediate, outer rows), each with unique geometries and orientations. This segmentation allows each row to be independently optimized for specific performance characteristics while maintaining a unified anvil structure. The segmented design enables the system to achieve complex performance requirements through coordinated action of multiple specialized components rather than requiring a single complex geometry.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12414771B2Surgical stapler anvil having staple forming pockets with laterally varying orientations

Publication Date: 2025.09.16 CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

AI summary

An apparatus includes a jaw body, an anvil surface defined by the jaw body, and an elongate slot extending through the anvil surface and along a longitudinal axis of the jaw body. The apparatus further includes a first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface and configured to form a plurality of first staples such that first legs of each formed first staple are laterally aligned with each other. The apparatus also includes a second longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface laterally outwardly of the first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets relative to the longitudinal axis, and configured to form a plurality of second staples such that second legs of each formed second staple skew laterally away from a second crown of the respective formed second staple.