RFID Motor Assembly Verification for Surgical Stapler Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical instruments, particularly circular staplers, face challenges with anvil-staple head assembly mismatching and improper orientation, leading to misalignment and potential tissue damage during procedures.
Innovation Solution
Integration of RFID tags and scanners in surgical instruments to authenticate and verify the compatibility of anvils and staple cartridges, ensuring proper orientation and seating through signal strength analysis, and preventing improper use or detachment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual assembly and verification of anvil-staple head components is used, then device complexity is reduced, but alignment precision and reliability deteriorate due to potential mismatching and improper orientation
Solution Approach 1:
RFID tags are pre-installed on anvils and staple head assemblies during manufacturing, storing identification and orientation data before use. This preliminary action enables automatic verification upon assembly, ensuring proper matching and orientation without requiring complex manual verification procedures during surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
RFID scanning systems act as intermediaries between physical components and the control system. The scanner reads RFID tags to verify component compatibility and orientation, translating physical assembly status into digital verification signals that prevent mismatched components from being used.
2Reliability
If RFID tags and scanners are integrated into motor assemblies for automatic verification, then reliability improves by preventing mismatched components, but device complexity increases due to additional electronic components
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID scanning system serves multiple functions: verifying component compatibility, checking proper orientation, tracking component usage history, and providing feedback to the control system. This multi-functionality justifies the added complexity by consolidating several verification tasks into a single integrated system.
Solution Approach 2:
RFID tags automatically provide verification information when scanned, eliminating the need for manual verification procedures. The system self- verifies component compatibility and orientation through automatic RFID reading and comparison against stored criteria, reducing reliance on operator skill and attention.
3Measurement precision
If RFID verification system continuously monitors component status, then detection precision improves for identifying mismatched components, but energy consumption increases due to continuous scanning operations
Solution Approach 1:
The RFID scanning system operates periodically at key moments: when components are first assembled, before surgical procedures begin, and when components are repositioned or replaced. This periodic operation maintains high detection precision for identifying mismatched components while avoiding continuous energy consumption.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Ensures accurate alignment and seating of anvil and staple cartridges, reducing the risk of misalignment and tissue damage, and enhancing the reliability of surgical procedures by preventing unauthorized or mismatched components from being used.
Implementation Method 1
The motor assembly includes a motor configured to drive the end effector to treat the tissue and an RFID tag detectable by the RFID scanner in the assembled configuration. The RFID tag stores motor-assembly information.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical instrument is disclosed including an end effector operable to treat tissue, a shaft extending proximally from the end effector, and a housing assembly extending proximally from the shaft. The housing assembly includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) scanner and a motor-assembly compartment including a motor assembly interchangeably retained by the motor-assembly compartment in an assembled configuration. The motor assembly is movable relative to the motor-assembly compartment between the assembled configuration and an unassembled configuration. The motor assembly includes a motor configured to drive the end effector to treat the tissue and an RFID tag detectable by the RFID scanner in the assembled configuration. The RFID tag stores motor-assembly information.