Surgical Stapling Drive and Retraction for Jam Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments face challenges with jamming issues during the firing process, requiring manual retraction and lack of efficient systems for reloading staple cartridges during procedures, which can disrupt the surgical workflow and increase operational complexity.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical stapling instrument with a motor-powered drive unit and a retraction system that allows for manual retrieval of the firing member assembly in case of jams, along with a cartridge drive system that enables reloading of staple cartridges without removing the instrument from the surgical site, ensuring continuous operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a motor-powered drive unit is used to drive the firing member assembly, then the speed and precision of the stapling operation is improved, but the risk of jamming increases requiring manual retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The retraction system enables the firing member assembly to be manually retracted by the clinician without requiring removal of the instrument from the surgical site. This self-service mechanism allows the system to recover from jamming conditions independently, maintaining operational reliability while preserving the high-speed motor-powered drive capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows dynamic change in the operational state of the firing member assembly between forward motion (stapling) and retraction (manual recovery). By enabling parameter changes in the direction and speed of the firing member, the system can adapt to jamming conditions and resume normal operation, thus resolving the contradiction between high-speed operation and jamming resistance.
2Reliability
If manual retraction is implemented for jammed firing member assembly, then the reliability is improved by preventing complete failure, but the ease of operation deteriorates due to additional manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The retraction system is designed to be operated manually by the clinician without requiring instrument removal or complex procedures. This self-service approach maintains operational continuity by allowing in-situ recovery from jamming, while keeping the ease of operation acceptable through intuitive manual control mechanisms.
3Reliability
If the instrument is removed from the surgical site for reloading staple cartridges, then the completeness of the stapling procedure is ensured, but the productivity decreases due to procedural interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge drive system is designed to enable reloading of staple cartridges without removing the instrument from the surgical site. This preliminary preparation of the reloading mechanism allows the clinician to maintain continuous operation, ensuring staple cartridge availability while preventing workflow interruptions that would reduce surgical productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge drive system acts as an intermediary mechanism that facilitates cartridge replacement without requiring instrument removal. This intermediate system resolves the contradiction by providing a pathway for cartridge reloading that maintains both reliability (cartridge availability) and productivity (continuous workflow).
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical instrument system is disclosed which comprises a control screen usable to control the surgical instrument system in real time.