Surgical Stapler Cartridge Lockout Lever for Empty-Fire Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical staplers lack a reliable mechanism to prevent inadvertent firing when the staple cartridge is empty or improperly installed, leading to improper staple formation and tissue cutting without stapling, which can compromise surgical precision and safety.
Innovation Solution
A cartridge-based firing lockout mechanism featuring a lockout lever that is pivotably coupled to the end effector's channel, resiliently biased to a locked state, and cammingly engaged by the staple cartridge and wedge sled to ensure proper installation and seating before allowing actuation of the pusher member.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a firing lockout mechanism is implemented to prevent inadvertent firing, then surgical safety and precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout lever is nested within the existing surgical stapler structure, pivotally coupled to the channel and integrating with the pusher member assembly. This nested configuration allows the lockout function to be incorporated without adding significant external complexity to the device
Solution Approach 2:
The lockout mechanism is self-regulating through the resilient bias and camming engagement. The lever automatically transitions between locked and unlocked states based on the presence and positioning of the staple cartridge and wedge sled, eliminating the need for external control systems or additional actuators
2Reliability
If a lockout lever with resilient bias is used to prevent firing, then firing safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lockout lever is resiliently biased to the locked state before the staple cartridge is installed. This preliminary locked condition ensures that the firing mechanism cannot be activated until the cartridge is properly in place, preventing inadvertent firing while maintaining simple operation once the cartridge is installed
Solution Approach 2:
The camming surface on the wedge sled acts as an intermediary that translates the simple distal movement of the wedge sled into the rotational movement of the lockout lever. This camming interaction automatically releases the lockout state without requiring separate control actions from the operator
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
Prevents inadvertent firing when the staple cartridge is empty or improperly installed, ensuring proper staple formation and tissue stapling, thereby enhancing surgical precision and safety.
Implementation Method 1
resiliently biased to a locked state
Implementation Method 2
cammingly engaged by the staple cartridge and wedge sled
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
A surgical stapling instrument includes a shaft assembly and an end effector. The end effector includes a first jaw having an anvil, a second jaw configured to removably receive a staple cartridge, and a driving assembly translatable distally through the second jaw for pivoting the second jaw toward the first jaw to clamp tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw. The instrument also includes a lockout mechanism configured to transition between a first state in which the lockout mechanism prevents distal translation of the driving assembly through the second jaw, and a second state in which the lockout mechanism permits distal translation of the driving assembly through the second jaw. The lockout mechanism is configured to transition from the first state to the second state when the staple cartridge is removably received by the second jaw.