Reusable Endoscopic Clip Applier with Disposable Cartridge
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing endoscopic surgical clip appliers are limited in their ability to use different sizes of surgical clips during a single procedure, leading to increased costs and inefficiency, as they typically require separate devices for various clip sizes.
Innovation Solution
A surgical clip applier with a reusable handle assembly and endoscopic shaft assembly, combined with a disposable clip cartridge assembly that can be loaded with small, medium, or large clips, allowing for easy switching between clip sizes during a procedure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a single surgical clip applier is designed to accommodate multiple clip sizes, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical clip applier is divided into distinct modular components: a reusable handle assembly, a reusable shaft assembly, and interchangeable disposable clip cartridge assemblies. This segmentation allows the adaptable portion (clip cartridge) to be easily swapped while keeping the complex mechanical handle separate, resolving the contradiction by localizing versatility to a replaceable module rather than the entire device.
Solution Approach 2:
The handle assembly and shaft assembly are designed as universal reusable components that can cooperate with multiple types of clip cartridge assemblies containing different clip sizes. The standardized interface and drive mechanism allow a single handle to fire various clip cartridges, achieving multi-functionality without requiring multiple complete devices.
2Productivity
If separate devices are used for different clip sizes, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The disposable clip cartridge assemblies are designed to be discarded after a single use, while the expensive handle and shaft assemblies are recovered and reused. This allows the system to accommodate multiple clip sizes through simple cartridge replacement rather than device exchange, improving productivity by eliminating the need to sterilize or store multiple complete devices while maintaining low complexity in the reusable portions.
3Ease of manufacture
If reusable handle and shaft assemblies are used with disposable clip cartridges, then cost is reduced, but ease of operation increases due to frequent cartridge changes
Solution Approach 1:
The clip cartridge assemblies are designed as disposable, low-cost components that contain the consumable clips and minimal mechanics. By making the cartridge disposable rather than reusable, the system eliminates the need for complex sterilization procedures and extensive maintenance, actually improving ease of operation despite the frequent replacements. The simplicity of the disposable cartridge makes the replacement process quick and straightforward.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical clip applier is provided and includes a handle assembly and an endoscopic assembly selectively connectable to a housing of the handle assembly. The handle assembly includes a housing, a trigger pivotally supported on and extending from the housing, and a drive assembly supported within the housing and operatively actuatable by the trigger. The endoscopic assembly includes a shaft assembly extending from the housing, the shaft assembly including an outer tube and a pair of jaws supported in and extending from a distal end of the outer tube.