Surgical Loading Unit Knife Retraction Port Interference

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical loading units often get caught on surgical ports during retraction due to the inner peripheral surface of the port getting caught underneath the knife, inhibiting further actuation and removal.

Innovation Solution

The surgical loading unit features a staple cartridge chassis with protruding supports that raise the inner peripheral surface of the surgical port, allowing the knife to pass underneath and preventing catching, and optionally includes a sleeve to act as a barrier between the port and the knife.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the knife is positioned to perform stapling and cutting functions, then surgical effectiveness is improved, but the knife gets caught on the surgical port during retraction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical effectivenessVSAvoidknife retraction

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

A port interaction element is introduced as an intermediary component between the knife and the surgical port. This element acts as a mediator that prevents direct contact between the knife and the port's inner peripheral surface, allowing the knife to pass through without getting caught while maintaining its stapling and cutting functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The port interaction element extends in a radial direction from the staple cartridge chassis, creating a new spatial dimension that raises the port's inner peripheral surface above the knife's path. This dimensional change allows the knife to pass underneath the port without interference

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If the knife structure remains simple for ease of manufacture, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but the knife cannot pass under the surgical port without modification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveknife manufacturingVSAvoidmechanical interference with port

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The solution segments the port interaction functionality from the knife itself, placing it on the staple cartridge chassis instead. This segmentation allows the knife to remain simple and easy to manufacture while the separate port interaction element handles the port clearance function

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The port interaction element serves as an intermediary structure that resolves the mechanical interference issue without requiring complex modifications to the knife design, maintaining manufacturing simplicity while eliminating the harmful catching effect

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11730472B2Surgical system and surgical loading units thereof

Publication Date: 2023.08.22 COVIDIEN LP

AI summary

A surgical loading unit includes an anvil assembly, a staple cartridge assembly pivotably coupled to the anvil assembly, and a knife configured to approximate the staple cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly. The staple cartridge assembly has a staple cartridge chassis having a support protruding outwardly from a proximal end thereof. The knife includes an upper plate coupled to the staple cartridge chassis and a lower plate coupled to the anvil assembly. The support of the staple cartridge chassis has an upper surface that is coplanar with or above an upper surface of the upper plate when the knife is in a proximal position for preventing the knife from catching on a surgical port during use.