Surgical Stapler Jaw Biasing Mechanism for Confined Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical stapling devices with extended jaws face challenges in fully opening due to anatomical confinement during procedures like bariatric and bowel surgeries, making it difficult to access and treat tissue effectively.
Innovation Solution
A surgical stapling device equipped with a biasing mechanism featuring spiral springs and a roller, which moves the cartridge assembly from an open to a clamped position, ensuring access to tissue, and a drive member with a toothed rack that engages the roller to wind the springs, facilitating parallel alignment and efficient stapling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the jaws of the tool assembly are extended in length to reach confined surgical sites, then the ability to access deep anatomical structures is improved, but the difficulty to fully open the jaws increases due to anatomical confinement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic jaw opening mechanism where the cartridge assembly pivots relative to the anvil along a curved path rather than a simple linear motion. This dynamic movement allows the extended jaws to navigate around anatomical obstacles while still achieving full opening, resolving the contradiction between jaw length and ease of opening in confined spaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a biasing mechanism with spiral springs and a roller as an intermediary element between the drive member and the cartridge assembly. This intermediary mechanism facilitates smooth pivoting motion of the extended jaws, enabling them to overcome anatomical confinement and achieve full opening despite their extended length
2Ease of operation
If a biasing mechanism with spiral springs and roller is added to facilitate jaw movement, then the ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The biasing mechanism with spiral springs is designed to be self-regulating, automatically providing the necessary force to pivot the cartridge assembly along its curved path. The mechanism uses the natural elastic properties of the springs to facilitate jaw movement without requiring additional control systems, thereby improving ease of operation while limiting the increase in complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the biasing mechanism, drive member, and cartridge assembly pivot into an integrated unit where the spiral springs are mounted on bosses that extend into the anvil cavity. This merging of components reduces the overall complexity compared to having separate, independently controlled mechanisms for each function
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 device provides enhanced access to tissue during surgical procedures by ensuring the jaws can be fully opened and easily transitioned to a clamped position, reducing procedural trauma and recovery time.
Implementation Method 1
The biasing mechanism includes at least one spiral spring... The coil portion of the at least one spiral spring is supported on the boss on the at least one side wall of the anvil in a position between the anvil and the channel member
Implementation Method 2
The beam portion includes a toothed rack that is engaged with the toothed portion of the roller such that movement of the drive member from its retracted position towards its advanced position causes rotation of the roller to wind the at least one spiral spring about the roller
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an anvil, a cartridge assembly movable in relation to the anvil between open and clamped positions, a drive member, and a biasing mechanism or member. The biasing mechanism or member is configured to urge the cartridge assembly in relation to the anvil assembly to its fully open position to provide access to tissue during a surgical procedure.