Circular Stapler Anvil with Mirrored Pocket Arrays

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current surgical stapling instruments for end-to-end anastomosis in digestive tract procedures face challenges in ensuring a leak-proof seal and efficient tissue handling, particularly during the transition between anatomical lumens.

Innovation Solution

The development of a circular stapling instrument with a modular design, featuring a stapling head assembly, anvil, and motorized actuation, which includes a stapling head with a slidable staple driver and knife member for simultaneous cutting and stapling, along with adjustable anvil configurations to optimize staple formation and tissue engagement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a circular stapler is used to perform end-to-end anastomosis, then the tissue can be sealed and joined together, but ensuring a leak-proof seal and efficient tissue handling during the transition between anatomical lumens remains challenging

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveleak-proof sealVSAvoidtissue handling
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The anvil is designed with a movable, adjustable configuration that allows dynamic adaptation to different tissue thicknesses and anatomical transitions. The anvil can be repositioned along the circular stapler shaft to optimize staple formation at varying tissue depths, ensuring reliable sealing while facilitating ease of operation during anastomosis procedures

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows adjustment of anvil position and configuration parameters to match specific surgical requirements. By changing the anvil's radial and longitudinal parameters, the stapler can accommodate different tissue types and transition zones, maintaining leak-proof seals while improving tissue handling efficiency

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If the anvil is designed with fixed staple forming pockets, then the structure is simple, but it cannot optimize staple formation for different tissue thicknesses and anatomical transitions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestaple formation optimizationVSAvoidanvil configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The anvil incorporates movable components that allow adjustment of staple forming pocket positions and orientations. This dynamic configuration enables optimization of staple formation for varying tissue thicknesses and anatomical transitions without requiring multiple separate anvils, balancing adaptability with controlled complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The adjustable anvil design provides multi-functionality by accommodating various tissue types, thicknesses, and anatomical locations within a single device. The universal design allows the same anvil to be configured for different surgical scenarios, enhancing adaptability while avoiding the need for multiple specialized components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If the circular stapler includes motorized actuation mechanism, then the stapling and cutting can be performed simultaneously with precise control, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimultaneous cutting and staplingVSAvoidactuation mechanism
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The motorized actuation mechanism merges the stapling and cutting functions into a single coordinated action. The motor drives both the staple deployment and knife activation through integrated mechanical linkages, enabling simultaneous operation and improving productivity while consolidating control systems to manage device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3320857B1Staple forming pocket configurations for circular surgical stapler anvil
Publication Date: 2023.12.13 ETHICON INC
  • EP3320857B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3320857B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3320857B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

An anvil for a circular surgical stapler includes an anvil surface and an anvil shaft. The anvil surface defines an inner annular array of staple forming pockets and an outer annular array of staple forming pockets. The inner annular array of staple forming pockets includes a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs. The outer annular array of staple forming pockets also includes a plurality of staple forming pocket pairs. The outer annular array of staple forming pockets is arranged in a mirrored symmetry with the inner annular array of staple forming pockets. The anvil shaft is configured to couple with a stapling head assembly of a surgical stapler.