Multi-Fire Staple Cartridge With Sequential Arrays for Fewer Reloads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical staplers require frequent reloading during procedures, especially in transoral natural orifice surgeries, which is time-consuming and increases procedure costs due to the need for multiple staple cartridges.
Innovation Solution
A multi-fire staple housing or cartridge preloaded with at least two sets of staples, allowing for multiple staple arrays to be applied before reloading, suitable for endoscopic, laparoscopic, and natural orifice procedures, including stomach partitioning and tissue plications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single staple cartridge is used in the stapler, then the device structure remains simple and cost-effective, but the procedure time increases due to frequent reloading operations
Solution Approach 1:
The staple cartridge is segmented into multiple independent staple arrays (first array, second array, third array) arranged in series. Each array can be independently fired, allowing the cartridge to deliver multiple staple lines before requiring reloading. This segmentation enables a single cartridge to perform the work of multiple cartridges, reducing procedure time and reloading frequency.
2Productivity
If multiple staple cartridges are used to reduce reloading frequency, then the productivity increases, but the cost of the procedure increases due to multiple cartridges
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple staple arrays that would traditionally require separate cartridges are merged into a single integrated cartridge structure. The first, second, and third staple arrays are all contained within one cartridge, allowing multiple staple lines to be delivered without removing or replacing the cartridge. This merging eliminates the need to manage multiple separate cartridges, reducing both reloading frequency and the number of physical cartridges needed.
3Ease of operation
If frequent reloading is performed in transoral natural orifice surgeries, then the stapler can be kept simple with a single cartridge, but the procedure time increases due to constant repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The staple cartridge is pre-configured with multiple staple arrays arranged in a specific sequence and spatial configuration. This preliminary arrangement allows the surgeon to fire multiple staple lines by simply actuating the firing mechanism without needing to reposition the stapler head between each staple line. The preliminary setup of multiple arrays within one cartridge eliminates the repeated repositioning operations that would otherwise be required.
Data Source
AI summary
A staple housing includes an array of staples each in a staple delivery position or “ready position” ready to be fired into target tissue. A staple driver is advanceable to drive the ready-position staples from the staple head into the tissue using staple pushers. During use, the staples in the ready positions are simultaneously fired into the target tissue using the staple pushers, forming an array of staples in the target tissue. After the array has been fired, one or more feed mechanisms within the staple housing advance a second group of staples from one or more staple storage locations into the ready positions in preparation for firing of the second group of staples.