Surgical Stapler Cartridge Tissue Engagement Protrusions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical staplers lack effective tissue engagement mechanisms that enhance gripping and guide staples during deployment, leading to suboptimal tissue compression and staple placement, particularly in areas where additional reinforcement is needed.
Innovation Solution
The surgical stapler cartridge incorporates engagement protrusions with enlarged surfaces on its deck, which extend upwardly to enhance tissue gripping and guide staples, featuring inwardly facing projections and planar surfaces that increase the contact area for improved adhesion and tissue retention during stapling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional smooth deck surfaces are used in surgical staplers, then the device structure remains simple, but tissue gripping capability and staple placement precision are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by adding engagement protrusions with specific geometric features (enlarged surfaces, inwardly facing projections) only at critical locations on the deck where tissue engagement is needed, rather than modifying the entire deck surface uniformly. This localized modification enhances tissue gripping and staple placement precision while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The deck surface is segmented into multiple engagement protrusions distributed across the deck, each with enlarged surfaces and inwardly facing projections. This segmentation allows different regions to provide specialized functions for tissue engagement and staple guidance, improving overall reliability without requiring a completely redesigned deck structure.
2Manufacturing precision
If raised features are added to the deck for tissue engagement, then tissue compression and staple placement improve, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies geometric parameters of the deck by introducing protrusions with specific dimensions (enlarged surfaces, projection heights, curvature radii) that optimize staple placement precision. These parameter changes are implemented through standard manufacturing processes, balancing improved manufacturing precision with reasonable manufacturing complexity.
3Strength
If adjunct materials are adhered to the deck, then tissue reinforcement is improved, but the adhesion effectiveness is limited by small contact area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a flat two-dimensional deck surface to a three-dimensional structure with engagement protrusions featuring enlarged surfaces and inwardly facing projections. This dimensional change significantly increases the available contact area for adjunct material adhesion, thereby improving tissue fastening strength without requiring excessive adhesive material.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a cartridge body, a deck, an elongate slot, a plurality of pockets, and a plurality of engagement protrusions. The plurality of engagement protrusions extend from the deck and are configured to grip tissue or an adjunct material. The plurality of engagement protrusions include a first engagement protrusion associated with the first pocket. The first engagement protrusion includes a first inwardly facing projection and a first planar surface. The first inwardly facing projection extends inwardly between a first longitudinal end and a first lateral side of the first pocket. The first planar surface extends substantially parallel to the deck. The first planar surface is defined by the first inwardly facing projection. The first planar surface defines a maximum height of the engagement protrusion relative to the deck. The first planar surface has a non-uniform area defined at least in part by the first inwardly facing projection.