Surgical Stapler Projector for Tissue Guidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments face challenges in precision and control, particularly in navigating complex tissue structures during procedures like stomach sleeve creation, where existing instruments lack advanced guidance and synchronization systems for staple firing paths.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical stapling instrument with an articulatable end effector, a tissue drive system, and a synchronized drive mechanism that includes a display for guiding the staple firing path, allowing for precise control and real-time adjustment of the staple firing path during procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a surgical stapling instrument uses a basic stapling mechanism without advanced guidance systems, then the device complexity is low, but the manufacturing precision and control during staple firing paths deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The drive system is segmented into multiple independent drive members (first drive member and second drive member) that can be controlled separately. The first drive member controls the articulation of the end effector while the second drive member controls the staple firing. This segmentation allows precise independent control of each function, enabling accurate navigation of staple firing paths through complex tissue structures without requiring a single overly complex monolithic mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The end effector is designed to be articulatable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its orientation and position during the surgical procedure. The articulation mechanism enables the end effector to navigate around anatomical structures and achieve precise positioning for staple deployment, improving manufacturing precision through dynamic adaptation to complex tissue geometries.
2Ease of operation
If a surgical stapling instrument lacks synchronization control between drive members, then the device complexity is reduced, but the control and coordination during staple firing paths deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument incorporates sensors that detect the position and state of the end effector and drive members during operation. This feedback information is used by the control system to coordinate the operation of multiple drive members, ensuring proper synchronization between articulation movements and staple firing. The feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of drive member coordination without requiring overly complex pre-programmed synchronization systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The drive system is designed with universal control mechanisms that can coordinate multiple drive members through a unified control interface. The synchronization system serves multiple functions including coordinating articulation with staple firing, managing tissue manipulation sequences, and controlling retraction movements, thereby improving ease of operation through a single integrated control system rather than separate independent controls for each function.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a surgical stapling instrument uses a fixed end effector without articulation capability, then the device complexity is low, but the adaptability to navigate complex tissue structures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The end effector incorporates an articulation mechanism that allows it to dynamically change its orientation and position during the surgical procedure. This dynamic capability enables the end effector to navigate around anatomical structures such as the esophagus and stomach, achieving precise positioning for staple deployment in complex three-dimensional tissue environments that would be inaccessible to a fixed end effector.
Solution Approach 2:
The articulation mechanism adds rotational degrees of freedom to the end effector, transitioning it from a single-axis linear movement to multi-axis articulation. This dimensional enhancement allows the end effector to access and manipulate tissue structures in three-dimensional space, significantly improving adaptability to navigate complex anatomical geometries including curved and folded tissue structures.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical stapler comprising a projector configured to project an image onto the tissue of a patient which assists the user of the surgical stapler.