Sliding Sleeve Anvil Assembly for Anastomosis
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Solution Overview
Problem
During anastomosis procedures, the tiltable anvil head in circular anastomosis staplers can pinch the anastomosis donut or other tissue, inhibiting full tilting and causing unwanted tissue damage and increased retraction forces due to excessive contact with the vessel interior.
Innovation Solution
An anvil assembly with a sliding sleeve member that repositions the anastomosis donut and other tissue or obstructions, allowing the anvil head to pivot freely and minimizing contact with the vessel interior by sliding proximally during the tilting motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the anvil head is tilted to reduce profile for removal through the anastomosis ring, then the anvil head contacts the vessel interior more, but this causes tissue damage and increased retraction forces
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding sleeve acts as an intermediary component between the anvil head and the anastomosis donut. During tilting, the sleeve slides proximally to actively manage and reposition the donut, preventing direct pinching contact between the anvil head and tissue, thereby enabling profile reduction without tissue damage
2Ease of operation
If the anvil head is tilted to reduce profile for removal, then the anvil head can be removed more easily, but tissue gets pinched between the anvil head and connection post
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding sleeve performs preliminary action by sliding proximally during the tilting process to reposition the anastomosis donut away from the pinching zone before the anvil head completes its tilting motion, preventing tissue pinching and facilitating smooth removal
3Adaptability or versatility
If the anvil head is designed to pivot freely for tilting, then the profile reduction is achieved, but the anastomosis donut becomes pinched by the tilting motion
Solution Approach 1:
The sliding sleeve serves as a mediator that decouples the tilting motion from direct contact with the anastomosis donut. The sleeve's proximal sliding action during tilting protects the donut from pinching while preserving the anvil head's full tilting capability for profile reduction
Data Source
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AI summary
An anvil assembly comprising: an anvil center rod, a head assembly pivotally secured to the anvil center rod assembly by a pivotal connection, the anvil head assembly being pivotable from an operative position to a tilted position, the head assembly including a housing and a post extending proximally from the housing, and a sleeve including a sleeve body (90) disposed about the anvil center rod, characterized in that the post includes a tab, and the sleeve defines an opening for receiving the tab, wherein the tab is received within the opening when the head assembly is in the operative position to lock the sleeve relative to the anvil center rod, and movement of the head assembly to the tilted position releases the tab from the opening to permit movement of the sleeve relative to the anvil center rod. The sleeve body (90) optionally includes annular lips (90a, 90b) formed on proximal and distal ends, respectively. They are configured to maintain an anastomosis donut and about the sleeve body (90) when the sleeve body (90) is moved proximally.