Stepped Staple Cartridge for Consistent Tissue Formation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments face challenges in efficiently stapling and cutting tissue with existing staple cartridges, which often result in inconsistent staple formation and tissue retention due to variations in staple height and tissue pressure distribution.
Innovation Solution
The development of a stepped staple cartridge with asymmetrical staples and a sled system that uses wedges of different heights to eject staples, allowing for varying staple heights and tissue capture areas, and incorporating tissue retention features like cleats and gap setting members to enhance tissue grip and fluid flow.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a traditional staple cartridge with uniform staples is used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but staple formation is inconsistent and tissue retention is poor due to variations in staple height and tissue pressure distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The staple cartridge is divided into multiple sections with different staple heights. The cartridge contains both short staples and long staples in different rows, allowing each section to be optimized for specific tissue types or surgical needs. This segmentation enables consistent staple formation within each section while providing overall versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the cartridge are designed with different staple characteristics. Short staples are positioned for certain tissue types while long staples are positioned for others. The cartridge deck includes varying depths and tissue capture features in different locations to optimize local tissue retention and staple formation consistency.
2Reliability
If uniform pressure is applied across the tissue, then the structure is simple, but tissue retention is inconsistent due to variations in tissue thickness and density
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge deck includes tissue capture features such as cleats and gap setting members at specific locations to optimize local tissue retention. Different rows have different tissue capture depths and configurations to accommodate variations in tissue thickness and density across the stapling area.
Solution Approach 2:
The cartridge is designed to allow dynamic adjustment of tissue capture depth through the stepped configuration. As the cartridge compresses tissue, the varying staple heights and tissue capture features adapt to local tissue conditions, providing consistent retention across different tissue types without requiring active control mechanisms.
3Productivity
If all staples have the same height, then the cartridge structure is simple, but tissue cutting efficiency is reduced due to inability to accommodate different tissue depths
Solution Approach 1:
The cartridge is segmented into multiple rows with different staple heights. Short staples are used for superficial tissue cutting while long staples are used for deeper tissue sections. This segmentation enables efficient tissue cutting across varying depths without requiring a complex adjustable mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The staple height parameter is varied across different rows of the cartridge to optimize cutting efficiency for different tissue depths. This parameter change is achieved through the stepped cartridge design where staples are positioned at different heights from the cartridge deck, allowing efficient tissue cutting without increasing overall device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical assembly comprising a distal connector portion, a stapling assembly, and a sensor is disclosed. The stapling assembly comprises an end effector and a proximal connector portion configured to releasably connect to the distal connector portion. The end effector comprises an anvil and an elongate channel adapted to receive a staple cartridge. At least one of the anvil and the elongate channel is movable to a clamped configuration. The proximal connector portion comprises first bayonet-mount lugs and second bayonet-mount lugs. The sensor is configured to detect connections by the proximal connector portion. The surgical assembly further comprises an end-of-life indicator for the stapling assembly based on connections by the proximal connector portion.