Modular Surgical Instrument Control for End Effector Home Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments face challenges in efficiently articulating and resetting end effectors during minimally invasive procedures, leading to difficulties in precise tissue manipulation and instrument retraction without damaging access ports.
Innovation Solution
A surgical instrument with a control system that includes a microcontroller and motor-driven articulation mechanism, allowing for precise articulation and automatic return to a home state position, facilitated by a user-friendly interface and feedback mechanisms to ensure accurate alignment and safe retraction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual articulation and resetting of end effectors is performed during minimally invasive procedures, then the surgeon has direct control over the instrument, but the procedure becomes time-consuming and increases the risk of tissue damage during articulation and retraction
Solution Approach 1:
The control system automatically returns the end effector to its initial configuration (home state) without requiring manual intervention. This preliminary automatic action eliminates the time-consuming manual resetting process while ensuring consistent, safe positioning that prevents tissue damage during articulation and retraction maneuvers.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical instrument performs self-resetting through an automated control system that monitors the end effector's position and automatically articulates it back to the home state. This self-service capability reduces dependency on manual operation, minimizing both procedure time and the risk of human error during critical articulation phases.
2Measurement precision
If precise manual control of end effector articulation is attempted, then tissue manipulation accuracy improves, but the complexity of the control mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the end effector's articulation position and automatically adjust it to achieve the desired home state alignment with the shaft. This feedback-controlled approach provides precise, repeatable positioning without requiring complex manual dexterity from the surgeon, thereby maintaining high precision while managing control system complexity through automation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical control with an automated control system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to manage end effector articulation. This substitution of mechanical manual control with an intelligent control system achieves precise tissue manipulation while simplifying the overall control architecture through electronic and software-based solutions rather than purely mechanical linkages.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the end effector is articulated frequently during the procedure, then surgical flexibility and access to different tissue sites improve, but the risk of damaging access ports increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs preliminary automatic alignment of the end effector with the shaft before retraction maneuvers. By pre-positioning the end effector in the correct home state configuration, the system enables safe articulation and retraction that minimizes contact with and potential damage to access ports, thereby maintaining surgical flexibility while protecting the access port infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument's self-resetting capability automatically manages the articulation cycle, returning the end effector to a safe home position that is aligned with the shaft. This self-service articulation management reduces the need for complex manual manipulation near access ports, allowing frequent articulation for surgical versatility while the automated system protects against harmful contact with access port structures.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A modular surgical instrument can include a microcontroller in signal communication with an engagement sensor and a display. The engagement sensor detects the relative positioning of modular components of the surgical system. The first modular component 110 comprises a handle and the second modular component 120 comprises a shaft an engagement sensor detects whether the shaft 120 is engaged with and/or operably coupled to the handle 110. The shaft 120 can be moveable between engagement with the handle 110 and disengagement from the handle 110.