Surgical Stapling Device Tissue Gap Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical stapling devices often fail to provide effective hemostasis for a wide range of tissue thicknesses, as existing devices are limited by a predetermined tissue gap and staple size, leading to ineffective hemostasis when tissue thickness is misidentified or falls outside the specified range.
Innovation Solution
The surgical stapling device features an anvil with staple forming pockets that deform staple legs into a B-shape, laterally offset from the back span, and a cartridge assembly with a biasing member allowing vertical movement to accommodate varying tissue thicknesses, ensuring proper staple formation across a broader tissue thickness range.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a predetermined tissue gap and staple size are used in existing surgical stapling devices, then the device structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the device cannot provide effective hemostasis for a wide range of tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The anvil is designed with movable staple forming pockets that can adjust their position vertically along the anvil body. This dynamic structure allows the tissue gap to vary automatically based on tissue thickness, enabling the device to adapt to different tissue thicknesses without requiring multiple fixed-gap anvils or complex electronic controls.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fixed parameter (tissue gap distance) into a variable parameter that can adjust within a range. The staple forming pockets are positioned to define a tissue gap that can accommodate varying tissue thicknesses, transforming the device from having a single fixed parameter to having an adjustable parameter range.
2Reliability
If the tissue thickness is misidentified by the clinician or falls outside the predetermined range, then the device cannot provide effective hemostasis, but adding tissue thickness detection and adjustment mechanisms increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The device performs self-adjustment through its movable staple forming pockets that automatically adapt to different tissue thicknesses during the stapling process. The mechanism uses the mechanical interaction between the cartridge assembly and anvil to automatically set the appropriate tissue gap, eliminating the need for external detection devices, electronic sensors, or complex control systems that would require clinician intervention.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic positioning of staple forming pockets allows the tissue gap to self-adjust during operation. The movable pockets respond to the actual tissue thickness present during stapling, ensuring reliable hemostasis across a wide range of tissue thicknesses without requiring pre-measurement or detection mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the staple legs are formed in a traditional configuration, then the staple formation process is simple, but the hemostasis effectiveness is limited for varying tissue thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The anvil features localized concave surfaces in each staple forming pocket that are specifically shaped to form the staple legs into a B-shape configuration. This local geometric feature ensures that the staple legs curl laterally offset from the back span, creating an interlocked configuration that provides effective hemostasis. The localized concave geometry transforms the simple staple formation process into one that produces enhanced hemostatic effect without requiring complex forming mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical stapling device includes tool assembly having an anvil and a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes a channel member that defines a cavity, a staple cartridge supported within the cavity of the channel member, and a biasing member. The staple cartridge supports staples, each having a back span and a pair of legs depending from the back span. The biasing member is positioned within the channel member and is deformable to allow the cartridge body to move vertically within the cavity of the channel member. The anvil incudes staple deforming pockets that are configured to deform the legs of the staples from a position within the same plane as the back span to positions laterally offset from the back span.