Rotating Anvil Support for Circular Stapler Tissue Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical circular stapling instruments face challenges in effectively creating a tubular passage free of tissue obstructions during circular anastomosis procedures, as the existing annular knife mechanisms often fail to completely clear the internal tissue within the staples.
Innovation Solution
The end effector incorporates an anvil assembly with a support and backup member that rotates upon actuation of the annular knife, utilizing cam members and a cut ring to enhance tissue severing and removal, ensuring a clear passage by twisting and cutting the tissue between the annular knife and the support.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If an annular knife is used to cut tissue in circular stapling instruments, then tissue cutting function is provided, but the internal tissue within the staples is not completely cleared
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the annular knife cutting function with a rotating support structure that actively removes tissue. The support rotates within the stapled tissue to mechanically scrape and clear the internal passage, merging cutting and clearing functions into a single integrated mechanism that ensures complete tissue removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed to rotate dynamically within the stapled tissue after the annular knife makes the initial cut. This rotational movement provides active tissue removal rather than static cutting, enabling complete clearance of the internal passage by mechanically scraping tissue along the curved path of rotation.
2Reliability
If a rotating support with cam members is added to the anvil assembly, then tissue severing and removal is enhanced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cam members are pre-configured in the anvil assembly to automatically engage with the support structure. When the annular knife is actuated, the cam members automatically propel the support into rotational movement without requiring separate control mechanisms, thereby simplifying the overall device while ensuring reliable tissue removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The support structure is designed to be self-actuating through the cam mechanism. The rotation and tissue removal function is automatically triggered by the knife actuation itself, with the cam members converting linear knife movement into rotational support movement, eliminating the need for additional motors or control systems.
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
This solution effectively creates a tubular passage completely free of tissue obstructions by combining the cutting action of the annular knife with the rotational movement of the support, ensuring efficient tissue removal and facilitating smooth anastomosis.
Implementation Method 1
The backup member includes at least one cam member which is engageable with the anvil housing to cause rotation of the support through the predetermined angular sector of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
An end effector for use with a circular stapling instrument incorporates an anvil assembly having features which enhance the coring or cutting of organ tissue internal of the annular array of staples thereby creating a tubular passage free of tissue obstructions.