Surgical Staple with Deformable Loop Backspan
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical staples are sized for specific tissue thickness ranges, leading to ineffective hemostasis when tissue thickness is misidentified or falls near the edges of the staple size range, limiting flexibility in surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical staple design featuring a backspan with a looped member that deforms to accommodate varying tissue thicknesses, allowing for greater flexibility in tissue engagement and effective hemostasis across a wider range of tissue thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a surgical staple is designed with a fixed backspan configuration for a specific tissue thickness range, then hemostasis effectiveness is ensured for that range, but the staple becomes ineffective when tissue thickness falls outside or near the edges of the designated range
Solution Approach 1:
The backspan is designed with a looped member that can dynamically deform and expand to accommodate different tissue thicknesses. The looped configuration allows the backspan to adapt its shape during the stapling process, transforming from a rigid fixed-configuration design to a dynamic adaptive structure that maintains contact with the anvil surface regardless of tissue thickness variations.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the backspan by introducing a looped member with specific dimensional characteristics. The looped member has a defined loop diameter and configuration that enables it to deform within certain parameter ranges, allowing the backspan to adjust its effective length and shape to match different tissue thicknesses while maintaining hemostatic effectiveness.
2Reliability
If a clinician must choose a staple size based on tissue thickness estimation, then hemostasis can be effective for correctly identified thickness, but ineffective hemostasis occurs when tissue thickness is misidentified
Solution Approach 1:
The staple with the looped backspan design achieves multi-functionality by being capable of effectively stapling tissues across a broad range of thicknesses with a single staple configuration. This universal design eliminates the need for clinicians to precisely estimate tissue thickness and select from multiple staple sizes, as the looped backspan automatically adapts to the actual tissue thickness encountered during the procedure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the backspan is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then staple formation is reliable, but the backspan cannot accommodate varying tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The backspan is segmented into distinct functional portions: a rigid portion that maintains structural integrity and a looped member portion that provides flexibility. The rigid portion ensures reliable staple formation and maintains the overall structural stability of the staple, while the looped member segment can deform and expand to accommodate varying tissue thicknesses, thus resolving the contradiction between rigidity and adaptability.
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
The deformable backspan design ensures effective hemostasis by adjusting to tissue thickness, providing secure fastening and reducing the likelihood of ineffective sealing across varying tissue thicknesses.
Implementation Method 1
the looped member of the backspan is configured to deform relative to the second and third portions of the backspan upon engagement with tissue positioned between the first and second legs and the looped member of the backspan
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4A~4C
Figure 5
AI summary
A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling instrument, the staple cartridge assembly comprising a plurality of surgical staples supported in a spaced relation to each other, each of the plurality of surgical staples including a first leg having a first end portion and a second end portion, a second leg having a first end portion and a second end portion, and a backspan including a first portion having a looped member, the looped member including a first end portion and a second end portion, a second portion extending between the first end portion of the first leg and the first end portion of the looped member and a third portion extending between the first end portion of the second leg and the second end portion of the looped member, a staple cartridge having a plurality of staple pockets disposed in rows and skewingly positioned relative to a longitudinal axis ("A-A") of the staple cartridge, wherein each of the plurality of staple pockets is configured to receive at least one of the plurality of surgical staples such that the first leg and the second leg of each of the plurality of surgical staples is longitudinally aligned relative to the first leg and the second leg of each of the other plurality of surgical staples and a plurality of pushers, each of the plurality of pushers associated with a respective one of the plurality of staple pockets and each of the plurality of pushers configured to advance one of the plurality of surgical staples from the respective one of the plurality of staple pockets.