Surgical Stapler End Effector Locking for Fast Repositioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical staplers face challenges in efficiently repositioning the end effector during procedures, requiring manual release and repositioning of the anvil, which can be time-consuming and inconvenient, especially when multiple staple lines are needed.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical instrument with a retraction arrangement and drive unit locking system that allows for precise articulation and locking of the end effector, enabling easier repositioning and alignment of staple cartridges relative to the anvil, facilitated by a clutch assembly and locking pawl mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the anvil is configured to apply clamping force to hold tissue tightly, then tissue securing reliability is improved, but the ability to reposition the end effector deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a static locked state to a dynamic unlocked state through the release mechanism. The anvil can be held firmly in the closed position through the locking mechanism, but can also be easily repositioned when needed by activating the release mechanism, allowing the system to adapt between these two states as required by the surgical procedure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the surgeon must activate release mechanism to reposition anvil, then clamping force stability is improved, but procedure time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism extracts the anvil from its locked position, allowing it to be repositioned. This separate release function enables quick extraction of the anvil from the locked state without affecting the stability of the clamping force when locked, thereby reducing the time penalty for repositioning while maintaining clamping stability when needed.
3Reliability
If multiple staple lines are deployed to secure tissue reliably, then tissue securing reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The stapling process is segmented into multiple staple lines, with each staple line contributing to the overall tissue securing reliability. The drive unit is configured to traverse the staple cartridge and deploy staples in sequence across multiple rows, allowing reliable tissue securing through distributed stapling rather than a single complex operation.
4Measurement precision
If the end effector is articulated to facilitate proper location and orientation, then positioning accuracy is improved, but mechanism complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates articulation that allows it to be positioned at different angles relative to the elongated shaft. This dynamic positioning capability enables the end effector to be oriented correctly for various surgical approaches while maintaining a relatively simple overall device structure through controlled degrees of freedom.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical system including a surgical instrument, a surgical visualization system, a display, and a feedback controller are presented. The feedback controller is in signal communication with the surgical instrument and the surgical visualization system. The feedback controller is configured to display, on the display, during an operation, live images derived from the surgical visualization system in a first layer and a status of the surgical instrument in a second layer. The status is configured to locate itself in said second layer in relation to a depiction of a feature of the surgical instrument and/or a feature of tissue in the first layer. The surgical instrument can include a surgical stapler, a knife, a robotic surgical instrument, combination thereof, or variation thereof.