Surgical Stapler Shaft Cover with Smooth Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional surgical stapling and cutting instruments pose risks during hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery due to sharp edges and unprotected moving parts, which can catch or tear the membrane of seals and interact adversely with bodily tissues and fluids.
Innovation Solution
A shaft cover with a smooth outer surface and recessed sections, composed of biocompatible materials, featuring a snap connection and seals to protect the instrument and prevent tissue and fluid ingress, is designed to fit around the structural plate of the surgical stapler, minimizing trauma and contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional surgical stapling and cutting instruments are used in hand assisted laparoscopic surgery, then the surgical procedure can be performed, but the sharp edges and unprotected moving parts can catch or tear the membrane of seals and interact adversely with bodily tissues and fluids
Solution Approach 1:
A shaft cover is introduced as an intermediary protective element between the surgical stapler and the seal membrane/tissues. The cover features a smooth outer surface that prevents catching or tearing of the seal membrane, while the inner surface provides engagement features to secure the cover to the instrument shaft. This intermediary structure eliminates direct contact between sharp edges and unprotected moving parts of the stapler and the vulnerable seal membrane.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft cover is constructed with a smooth outer surface that acts as a protective shell, conforming to the shape of the instrument shaft while providing a tissue-friendly interface. The cover material is selected to be biocompatible and resistant to bodily fluids, creating a protective barrier that maintains instrument functionality while preventing adverse interactions with tissues and seal membranes.
2Reliability
If a cover is added to protect the surgical stapler shaft, then protection against tissue and fluid ingress is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective cover is designed as a separate, modular component that can be independently manufactured and attached to the surgical stapler. The cover includes distinct functional zones: an outer smooth surface for tissue compatibility, an inner engagement surface with recesses and features for securing to the shaft, and integrated seals for fluid protection. This segmentation allows the cover to be added without modifying the core surgical instrument design.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft cover is designed to fit over and enclose the existing instrument shaft, creating a nested configuration where the protective cover contains the vulnerable components. The cover's inner surface includes recesses that receive and secure the shaft, while the outer surface provides the protective interface. This nesting approach protects internal components without requiring external modifications to the surgical stapler.
Data Source
AI summary
A cover for a surgical stapler includes a cover body shaped and dimensioned for fitting about a shaft of a surgical stapler, the cover body having a substantially smooth outer surface and a recessed section shaped and dimensioned for positioning about a surgical stapler.