Smart Sensor End-Effector Feedback for Precise Tissue Compression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments face challenges in efficiently stapling and cutting tissue due to limitations in tissue compression control, sensor integration, and power management, leading to inconsistent performance and potential errors during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical instrument with an interchangeable shaft assembly and advanced power management system, incorporating smart sensors and a segmented circuit for precise tissue compression and power control, which includes a magnetic field sensor for position tracking and a microcontroller for real-time feedback and adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If surgical instruments use basic stapling and cutting mechanisms, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision and reliability of tissue stapling and cutting are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using sensors to detect tissue compression force and staple formation quality, then adjusting actuator commands in real-time to achieve precise stapling and cutting. The control system continuously monitors parameters such as compression force, staple height, and cut quality, and modifies operational parameters accordingly to maintain manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical stapling and cutting mechanisms with a controlled compression and severing system. Instead of relying solely on mechanical force from staples and knives, the system uses controlled compression followed by precise severing, with each step monitored and adjusted by sensors and control algorithms to achieve superior precision.
2Measurement precision
If surgical instruments integrate multiple sensors and control systems, then the measurement precision and reliability improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements multi-functionality by designing sensors and control systems that serve multiple purposes. For example, compression force sensors not only measure tissue hardness but also monitor staple formation quality and cut accuracy. The control system integrates multiple functions including real-time monitoring, adaptive adjustment, and quality assessment into a unified platform, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple sensing functions into integrated sensor assemblies that simultaneously measure compression force, tissue mechanical properties, and procedural quality metrics. The control system merges data processing, real-time adjustment, and quality assessment into a unified control architecture, reducing the number of separate components while enhancing measurement precision and reliability.
3Productivity
If surgical instruments use simple power management, then the device complexity is low, but the productivity and efficiency of surgical procedures decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic power management by adjusting power delivery to actuators and sensors in real-time based on procedural needs. The system dynamically allocates power resources to optimize surgical efficiency, adjusting motor speeds, compression forces, and sensor sampling rates according to the specific surgical task and tissue characteristics, thereby enhancing productivity without requiring excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes operational parameters such as compression force, actuator speed, and sensor sampling rate dynamically during the surgical procedure. The power management system adjusts these parameters in real-time to optimize efficiency, increasing power delivery during critical operations like staple formation and cut severing, while reducing power consumption during monitoring phases, thereby improving overall productivity.
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 enables precise and reliable tissue stapling and cutting by providing real-time feedback and adaptive control, enhancing the accuracy and safety of surgical procedures while reducing the risk of errors and improving instrument efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic field sensor configured to detect a position of the shaft assembly when the shaft assembly is coupled to the handle assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A device including smart sensors with a local signal processor is disclosed. The device includes an end-effector including at least one sensor and a signal processing component corresponding to the at least one sensor; and a handle configured to receive processed information from the signal processing component. The processed information is generated by the signal processing component at the end-effector based on data received from the at least one sensor at the end-effector.