Liquid-Immune Trigger Circuit for Surgical Stapler
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments face challenges in ensuring proper tissue engagement and secure anastomosis during end-to-end anastomosis procedures, particularly in maintaining a leak-proof seal and efficiently cutting and stapling tissue simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
The development of a circular stapling instrument with a modular design, featuring a stapling head assembly, anvil, and motorized actuation, which includes a rotary cam mechanism for precise tissue manipulation, staple driving, and cutting, along with a user interface for controlled operation and feedback mechanisms to ensure proper attachment and firing of the stapling head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a motorized actuation mechanism is used to automate tissue manipulation and stapling, then productivity and precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The circular stapler is divided into distinct modular components: a handle assembly containing the motorized actuation mechanism, a shaft assembly, a stapling head assembly with anvil, and a cartridge assembly. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function independently while simplifying the overall system design and maintenance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional manual mechanical actuation with a motorized actuation mechanism that includes a motor, drive shaft, and gear system. This substitution enables automated control of tissue manipulation, stapling, and cutting operations, improving precision and productivity while reducing operator fatigue.
2Reliability
If liquid-resistant coating is applied to electrical components, then reliability is improved by preventing premature activation, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies a liquid-resistant coating to electrical components and circuit boards before assembly to prevent liquid ingress that could cause premature activation. This preliminary protective action ensures reliable operation in surgical environments where exposure to bodily fluids is inevitable, preventing false triggering of the motorized actuation mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge assembly containing the staple drivers and cutting blade is designed as a disposable component that is replaced after each use. This eliminates the need for complex cleaning and sterilization processes for the entire instrument, simplifying manufacturing and ensuring consistent performance without requiring elaborate maintenance protocols.
3Loss of time
If simultaneous cutting and stapling is implemented, then surgical time is reduced, but precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cutting blade and staple drivers into a single integrated stapling head assembly that performs both cutting and stapling operations simultaneously. The anvil is precisely positioned to ensure that as the blade cuts through tissue, staples are driven at the exact moment to create a leak-proof seal, eliminating the need for separate cutting and stapling steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The motorized actuation mechanism incorporates feedback control that monitors the positioning and operation of the cutting blade and staple drivers. This feedback ensures precise coordination between cutting and stapling actions, maintaining high precision even while performing both functions simultaneously, and allows for real-time adjustments to ensure proper tissue sealing.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a body, a shaft assembly, an end effector, an activation circuit, and a user input feature. The activation circuit includes an end effector driver and a driver activation switch. The end effector driver is operable to drive the end effector to perform an operation on tissue. The driver activation switch is configured to transition between an open state and a closed state. The end effector driver is configured to activate in response to the driver activation switch transitioning to the open state. The user input feature is operable to transition between a non-actuated state and an actuated state. The driver activation switch remains in the closed state when the user input feature is in the non-actuated state. The driver activation switch is configured to transition to the open state in response to the user input feature transitioning from the non-actuated state to the actuated state.