Surgical Stapling Assembly Controller for Clamping Load Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling and cutting instruments lack the ability to accurately measure tissue thickness and adjust speed in real-time, leading to inconsistent tissue handling and potential complications during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A motorized surgical instrument equipped with a control circuit and sensors that measure the position and velocity of a cutting member, allowing for real-time adjustment of motor speed based on tissue thickness, ensuring precise tissue handling and consistent stapling and cutting performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the firing member moves at a constant high speed through the firing stroke, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inconsistent tissue handling
Solution Approach 1:
The firing member velocity is dynamically adjusted during the firing stroke based on real-time clamping load measurements. The controller modifies the motor set point to change the firing member velocity from an initial value to a modified value, ensuring precise tissue handling while maintaining efficient productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the sensor that measures clamping load during the firing stroke. The controller receives this feedback and adjusts the motor set point accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains precision while preserving productivity.
2Manufacturing precision
If the firing member velocity is adjusted in real-time based on tissue thickness, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and controllers
Solution Approach 1:
The controller serves multiple functions: it monitors clamping load via the sensor, determines tissue thickness based on this data, adjusts the motor set point, and controls the firing member velocity. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the existing sensor and controller infrastructure to perform tissue thickness measurement and velocity adjustment. The sensor data that would otherwise go unused is repurposed for thickness determination, allowing the system to enhance precision without adding significant complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the motor set point is modulated during the firing stroke, then manufacturing precision is improved, but use of energy increases due to continuous control adjustments
Solution Approach 1:
The motor set point is modulated only during specific portions of the firing stroke when precision is critical, rather than continuously throughout the entire stroke. This partial adjustment approach maintains manufacturing precision while limiting additional energy consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Various examples are directed to systems and methods for operating a surgical instrument comprising a firing member translatable proximally and distally along a longitudinal axis between a stroke begin position to a stroke end position distal of the stroke begin position; a knife coupled to the firing member; and a motor coupled to the firing member to translate the firing member between the stroke begin position and the stroke end position. A control circuit may receive a firing signal and begin a firing member stroke by providing an initial motor setting to the motor. The control circuit may maintain the initial motor setting for an open-loop portion of the firing member stroke. The control circuit may receive firing member motion data describing a motion of the firing member during the open-loop portion of the firing member stroke and may select a firing control program based at least in part on the motion of the firing member during the open-loop portion of the firing member stroke.