Surgical Instrument Feedback System for Tissue Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments face challenges in providing adequate feedback to clinicians during procedures, particularly in determining the appropriate tissue thickness for safe sealing and cutting, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential tissue damage.
Innovation Solution
The surgical instrument incorporates a feedback system with indicator circuits and mechanical feedback mechanisms, including visual, audio, and tactile indicators, to alert clinicians about tissue thickness and locking status, ensuring safe and effective tissue treatment by preventing cutting when tissue is too thick or not adequately compressed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If no feedback system is provided, then the device complexity is low, but the surgical precision and safety are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback system that provides real-time information to the clinician about tissue thickness and compression status through visual, audible, and tactile indicators. This allows the clinician to adjust their technique accordingly, ensuring safe and effective tissue treatment while maintaining reasonable device complexity through the use of straightforward indicator mechanisms.
2Measurement precision
If a feedback system with multiple indicators is added, then the surgical precision improves, but the ease of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs visual indicators that change color or illumination state to convey different tissue thickness and compression status information. This allows multiple pieces of information to be communicated through simple, intuitive visual cues that do not complicate the operation, as the clinician simply observes the indicator states rather than managing complex controls.
3Reliability
If real-time feedback is provided during tissue sealing, then the reliability of safe tissue treatment improves, but the productivity decreases due to additional monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The feedback system operates autonomously, continuously monitoring tissue thickness and compression status without requiring active intervention from the clinician. The system self-regulates by providing real-time feedback that enables the clinician to make quick adjustments, thereby maintaining procedural efficiency while ensuring reliable and safe tissue treatment through constant monitoring.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument includes an end effector and a feedback system. The end effector includes a first jaw and a second jaw, wherein at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other one of the first jaw and the second jaw to transition the end effector during a closure stroke between an open configuration, a first approximated configuration, and a second approximated configuration. The feedback system includes an indicator, the indicator transitionable between a first indicator position, a second indicator position, and a third indicator position, wherein the indicator is in the first indicator position when the end effect is in the open configuration, wherein the indicator is in the second indicator position when the end effector is in the first approximated configuration, and wherein the indicator is in the third indicator position when the end effector is in the second approximated configuration.