Surgical Stapler Drive Member Position Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical staplers lack effective visualization and tracking mechanisms for the longitudinal position of drive members during the stapling and severing process, making it difficult for surgeons to accurately monitor the progress and completion of the procedure, especially in robotic-assisted surgeries where remote control is involved.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating illumination features and augmented reality projections onto the surgical site display, which visually represent the position of the drive member within the end effector, allowing real-time tracking and monitoring of the stapling and severing process through the use of electromagnetic coils, flex circuit wiring, and linear variable displacement transformers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotic-assisted surgery with remote control is used, then surgical precision and surgeon safety are improved, but real-time monitoring of drive member position becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a visual copy of the drive member position through illumination features that project light at different intensities corresponding to different longitudinal positions. This optical copy allows the surgeon to see the drive member position remotely on a display without being physically present at the surgical site, resolving the information loss problem in robotic-assisted surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination features act as an intermediary between the drive member and the surgeon's visual system. Instead of directly observing the drive member position, the surgeon observes the light patterns emitted by the illumination features, which mediate the transmission of position information across the remote distance.
2Loss of information
If illumination features are added to track drive member position, then visual monitoring capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination features serve multiple functions: they illuminate the surgical site for visibility and simultaneously encode drive member position information through varying light intensity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate tracking components, mitigating the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the illumination function with the position indication function into a single integrated system. The same light source that provides surgical illumination also provides positional feedback by varying its intensity based on drive member position, combining two functions into one component system.
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
Enhances the surgeon's ability to accurately track the progress of the stapling and severing process, improving precision and reducing the risk of errors in robotic-assisted surgeries by providing a clear visual representation of the drive member's position and progress.
Implementation Method 1
a linear variable displacement transformer configured to measure the longitudinal position of the drive member
Implementation Method 2
Incorporating illumination features and augmented reality projections onto the surgical site display, which visually represent the position of the drive member within the end effector, allowing real-time tracking and monitoring of the stapling and severing process through the use of electromagnetic coils, flex circuit wiring
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus includes a shaft assembly, an end effector, and a drive member visualization assembly. The end effector includes a first jaw, a second jaw, a staple cartridge, and a drive member capable of actuating along a firing stroke to fire a plurality of staples out of the staple cartridge or to sever tissue. The drive member visualization assembly provides an electronic indication linked to a physical location of the drive member within the upper jaw and the lower jaw during the firing stroke.