Supported Firing Bar With Dual Articulation Drivers for Confined Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling and cutting instruments face challenges in efficiently articulating and maneuvering the end effector for precise tissue stapling and cutting, particularly in confined surgical environments.
Innovation Solution
A stapling assembly with a supported firing bar and dual articulation drivers that allow for enhanced articulation and maneuverability of the surgical end effector, enabling precise control and positioning of the stapling and cutting mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional firing bar design is used, then the structure is simple, but the articulation and maneuverability of the end effector are insufficient for precise tissue stapling in confined environments
Solution Approach 1:
The firing bar is divided into multiple segments including a proximal firing bar segment and a distal firing bar segment that can articulate relative to each other. This segmentation allows the end effector to achieve complex maneuvers and precise positioning in confined surgical environments while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The firing bar incorporates dynamic articulation capabilities where the distal segment can rotate or pivot relative to the proximal segment, enabling the end effector to adapt its orientation and position dynamically during surgery. This dynamic behavior provides enhanced maneuverability without requiring a completely complex mechanical structure.
2Measurement precision
If the end effector is made more maneuverable with dual articulation drivers, then precision in confined environments improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dual articulation drivers are integrated within the firing bar structure itself, with the distal firing bar segment nested within or alongside the proximal segment. This nesting approach allows complex articulation functionality to be achieved without proportionally increasing external device complexity, as the articulation mechanisms are compactly arranged within the existing structural envelope.
Solution Approach 2:
The firing bar segments act as intermediaries between the actuation forces from the articulation drivers and the final positioning of the end effector. This intermediary role allows the complex articulation function to be distributed across multiple components, each handling a specific aspect of the motion, thereby managing overall system complexity while achieving precise positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical stapling instrument comprising an elongate shaft assembly that includes a surgical end effector that is operably coupled thereto by an articulation joint. The surgical instrument may include a first distal articulation driver operably coupled to the surgical end effector and a second distal articulation driver that is coupled to the surgical end effector. At least one driver member may operably engage the first and second distal articulation drivers such that when the first distal articulation driver is moved in a distal direction, the least one driver moves the second distal articulation driver in a proximal direction and when the first distal articulation driver is moved in the proximal direction, the at least one driver member moves the second distal articulation driver in the distal direction.