Surgical Jaw Assembly Power Control From Mechanical Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical instruments face challenges in efficiently and accurately suturing tissues due to limitations in needle tracking and control, leading to variable stitch quality and potential tissue damage from uneven needle advancement.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical suturing instrument with an adaptive needle driving system and advanced sensing mechanisms, including resistive sensing circuits and needle sensing systems, that monitor needle position and movement to adjust the firing stroke and ensure consistent tissue penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a surgical instrument uses a mechanical needle driving system, then the device structure is simple, but the needle placement precision and stitch quality are variable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical needle driving mechanisms with an electrical motor-driven system. The motorized drive shaft and needle driver assembly enable precise control of needle advancement through electrical signals, achieving consistent needle placement depth and spacing while maintaining reasonable device complexity through integrated motor control circuits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates sensing mechanisms that detect needle position and tissue characteristics, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback loop allows the motor to adjust its operation in real-time, ensuring precise needle placement and consistent stitch quality by monitoring and responding to actual needle advancement conditions.
2Productivity
If the needle advancement speed is increased to improve surgical efficiency, then productivity increases, but tissue damage may occur due to uneven needle movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a dynamically controllable motor-driven needle advancement system that can adjust its speed and acceleration profiles in real-time. The motor control circuit receives feedback from position sensors and tissue force sensors, dynamically modifying the needle driving parameters to maintain optimal advancement speed that prevents tissue damage while ensuring efficient suturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters such as motor voltage, current, and pulse duration based on real-time feedback from sensing mechanisms. By dynamically adjusting these electrical parameters, the system optimizes needle advancement speed and force to match tissue characteristics, preventing damage while maintaining high surgical efficiency.
3Measurement precision
If advanced sensing mechanisms are added to monitor needle position, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates multiple sensing functions into a unified sensing system that serves multiple purposes: needle position detection, tissue force measurement, and stitch quality assessment. This multi-functional approach achieves high measurement precision while reducing overall device complexity by consolidating sensing, processing, and control functions into integrated circuits and modules.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system ensures precise needle placement and consistent stitch quality by monitoring needle position and adjusting the firing speed, reducing tissue damage and improving surgical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
resistive sensing circuits and needle sensing systems, that monitor needle position and movement
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument comprising a jaw assembly is disclosed. The surgical instrument further comprises a motor-driven drive system configured to manipulate the jaw assembly. The surgical instrument also comprises a control system configured to control the drive system and, also, control a power supply system configured to supply electrical power to electrodes defined in the jaw assembly. In use, the surgical instrument can be used to apply mechanical energy and electrical energy to the tissue of a patient at the same time, or at different times. In certain embodiments, the user controls when the mechanical and electrical energies are applied. In some embodiments, the control system controls when the mechanical and electrical energies are applied.