Powered Surgical Device Parameter Customization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional powered surgical stapling devices lack the ability to be reconfigured or reprogrammed to tailor firing speed and other operational parameters to specific clinician preferences, limiting their adaptability in surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a motor, communication interface, and controller that allows for reconfiguration and reprogramming via a configuration device, enabling modification of operational parameters such as clamping speed, firing rate, and user interface settings, including button remapping.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If powered surgical stapling devices use fixed operational parameters, then device simplicity is maintained, but clinician adaptability and preference customization are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a configuration file (digital copy) stored on a removable storage medium to replicate operational parameters and transfer them to the powered surgical device. This allows clinician preferences to be customized and stored externally, then loaded onto the device without permanently increasing its hardware complexity. The configuration file serves as a portable repository of customized settings that can be applied to multiple devices or procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows operational parameters to be pre-configured and stored in a configuration file before the surgical procedure. The clinician can customize all desired parameters (firing rate, clamping force, cycle timing) in advance, save them to the removable storage medium, and then simply load the pre-configured file onto the device. This eliminates the need for time-consuming parameter adjustment during surgery and resolves the contradiction by providing adaptability through pre-prepared configurations.
2Productivity
If powered surgical devices allow real-time parameter adjustment, then procedural efficiency is improved, but device complexity and programming requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the clinician to independently configure and customize operational parameters without requiring manufacturer intervention or complex programming. The configuration file approach allows the clinician to self-service the device by loading their preferred settings directly from the removable storage medium. This maintains productivity through easy parameter adjustment while minimizing device complexity by using a user-friendly configuration interface rather than requiring deep technical programming knowledge.
3Reliability
If conventional mechanical stapling devices use manual triggering, then clinician control over firing speed is maintained, but automation and consistency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system bridges the gap between manual and automated control by allowing the clinician to dynamically select and adjust operational parameters (such as firing rate, clamping duration, and cycle timing) through the configuration file. The device executes these parameters automatically with consistent precision, while the clinician retains flexibility to choose different parameter sets for different surgical scenarios. This resolves the contradiction by providing automated consistency through programmable parameters while maintaining operational flexibility through user-selectable configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes a motor configured to actuate end effector; a communication interface configured to couple to a configuration device; and a controller coupled to the motor and the communication interface, the controller includes a memory configured to store an operational parameter for operating the motor, the controller configured to modify the operational parameter based on configuration data received from the configuration device.