Surgical Stapler Timer Controller for Consistent Tissue Compression
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling devices lack a consistent method for ensuring tissue compression time before stapling, leading to variability in staple formation due to manual control by surgeons.
Innovation Solution
A surgical stapler with a controller that delays the firing of staples for a predetermined time period after tissue compression, ensuring consistent tissue settling and fluid drainage before staple deployment, and providing feedback through indicators for optimal staple formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual control of tissue compression time is used by the surgeon, then flexibility in operation is maintained, but consistency and reliability of staple formation deteriorate due to variability in compression time
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs preliminary compression of the tissue for a predetermined time period before staple firing. The controller automatically initiates and maintains the compressed state for a specific duration, ensuring consistent tissue preparation before stapling without requiring manual timing by the surgeon.
Solution Approach 2:
The device includes a feedback display that provides visual or audible signals to indicate when the predetermined compression time has elapsed and when the stapler is ready to fire. This feedback mechanism ensures the surgeon is informed of the compression status and timing, maintaining operational awareness while automating the timing control.
2Manufacturing precision
If tissue compression time is extended to allow fluid drainage, then staple quality improves, but operation time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device changes the time parameter of tissue compression by implementing a predetermined compression duration that is optimized for fluid drainage and tissue settling. This standardized time parameter ensures sufficient fluid removal and tissue preparation while preventing excessive compression time that would unnecessarily extend the procedure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If automated delay mechanism is added to control compression time, then consistency of tissue compression is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it controls the delay mechanism for compression timing, manages the staple firing sequence, and provides feedback signals to the surgeon. By consolidating these functions into a single controller unit, the device achieves automated consistent compression control without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical apparatus has a clamp and a stapling mechanism. The clamp has a first jaw and a second jaw to clamp on a body tissue at a desired location for a stapling operation. The stapling mechanism is controlled by a trigger handle or a switch assembly. The surgical apparatus has a controller for providing a delay between clamping and actuating of the firing mechanism of the stapling mechanism. The delay provides for a desired amount of time for tissue compression producing a more uniform staple formation. The surgical apparatus also has an indicator. The indicator provides feedback about the status of the stapling mechanism and also displays a time of tissue compression by the clamp.