Surgical Stapler Buttress Application for Staple Pull-Through Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical staplers lack a buttress material to reinforce the mechanical fastening of tissue, leading to potential staple pull-through and tissue tearing at the stapled site.
Innovation Solution
A buttress assembly comprising a buttress body made of a strong, flexible material, often with adhesive layers, is applied to the anvil or staple cartridge to reinforce staple fastening, using bioabsorbable polymers like VICRYL® for structural support and hemostasis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If surgical staplers are used without buttress material, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but staple pull-through and tissue tearing occur leading to reduced reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The buttress material is pre-applied to the anvil or staple cartridge before the stapling operation. This preliminary action ensures that the tissue reinforcement is already in place when the staples are driven, preventing staple pull-through and tissue tearing without requiring additional steps during the procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses composite material construction where a buttress material (such as biologic or synthetic materials) is combined with the surgical stapler components (anvil or staple cartridge). This composite structure provides both the mechanical fastening function of the stapler and the tissue reinforcement function of the buttress material.
2Strength
If buttress material is applied to the anvil or staple cartridge, then structural integrity and hemostasis are improved, but the ease of operation and installation time are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The buttress material is pre-applied to the anvil or staple cartridge in a controlled manufacturing or preparation setting, allowing optimal bonding and positioning. This eliminates the need for surgeons to apply the buttress material during the surgical procedure, maintaining ease of operation while ensuring proper application.
Solution Approach 2:
The anvil or staple cartridge serves as an intermediary carrier for the buttress material. By applying the buttress to this intermediate component rather than directly to the tissue, the system simplifies the application process while ensuring proper positioning and integration during the stapling operation.
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 buttress material prevents staple pull-through and reduces tissue tearing, providing structural integrity and hemostasis at the stapled site.
Implementation Method 1
A buttress assembly comprising a buttress body made of a strong, flexible material, often with adhesive layers
Data Source
AI summary
A method of applying a buttress to a surgical stapler end effector comprises positioning a buttress assembly between an anvil and a staple cartridge of the end effector. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material faces either an underside of the anvil or a deck of the staple cartridge. The anvil is in an open position relative to the staple cartridge during the act of positioning the buttress assembly between the anvil and the staple cartridge. The method further comprises moving the anvil toward the staple cartridge then moving the anvil back to the open position. The buttress assembly is adhered to the underside of the anvil or the deck of the staple cartridge via the adhesive material with the anvil moved back to the open position. The adhesive material comprises a bioabsorbable polymer.