Surgical Stapler Anvil Axle Slot Mechanism
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional endocutters face issues in maintaining a consistent gap between the anvil and cartridge for proper staple formation during minimally invasive surgery, leading to malformed staples due to variations in gap size.
Innovation Solution
The end effector includes a staple holder and anvil with axles that slide within slots, allowing for adjustable positioning to minimize the gap during insertion, and a spring mechanism to open and clamp the device around tissue, ensuring proper staple formation by adjusting the anvil's position based on tissue thickness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the gap between anvil and cartridge is reduced for proper staple formation, then staple quality improves, but device complexity increases due to adjustable positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The anvil is nested within the cartridge assembly, with the anvil positioned inside the cartridge housing. This nested configuration allows the anvil to be precisely positioned relative to the cartridge without requiring complex external adjustment mechanisms, as the nesting itself provides the structural framework for maintaining the required gap distance.
Solution Approach 2:
The anvil and cartridge are pre-positioned at the correct gap distance during device assembly. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the device is used, the gap is already optimized for staple formation without requiring real-time adjustment during surgery, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing precision.
2Ease of operation
If the end effector is designed for minimally invasive surgery with small diameter, then ease of operation improves, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to space constraints
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates movable components including a slideable anvil and spring-loaded mechanisms that allow dynamic adjustment of the gap between anvil and cartridge. This dynamic design enables the device to adapt to different tissue thicknesses while maintaining consistent staple formation, overcoming the space constraints of minimally invasive dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The device allows change in the gap parameter between anvil and cartridge through spring mechanisms and slideable components. By making this parameter adjustable rather than fixed, the device can maintain optimal staple formation across varying tissue conditions while fitting through small incisions for minimally invasive surgery.
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 design ensures consistent staple formation by maintaining a controlled gap between the anvil and staple holder, preventing staple malformation and allowing for efficient tissue transection in various tissue thicknesses.
Implementation Method 1
a spring mechanism to open and clamp the device around tissue
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical apparatus may include a staple holder, an anvil connected to and movable relative to the staple holder, and at least one axle extending outward from the anvil; and an overtube slidable relative to the end effector, the overtube including at least one slot defined therein; where each slot receives a corresponding axle. A surgical method for treating tissue of a patient may include providing an end effector that includes a staple holder and an anvil connected to and movable relative to the staple holder, and an overtube slidable relative to said end effector, making an incision in the patient; inserting the end effector and at least part of the overtube through the incision in a first, insertion configuration in which substantially no gap exists between the anvil and staple holder, and moving the overtube relative to the end effector to open the end effector to a second, unclamped position where at least part of the anvil is spaced apart from the staple holder.