Modular Surgical Stapler End Effector Replacement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgical (MIS) instruments, including robotic surgical tools, have limited lifespans due to high-wear components, leading to premature disposal and environmental impact.
Innovation Solution
Implementing circularity systems and methods that allow for the easy replacement of consumable components in surgical tools, without full disassembly, thereby extending the tool's lifespan and reducing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If MIS instruments are designed with high-wear components for durability, then the instrument can withstand repeated use, but the components eventually degrade and limit the useful life of the instrument
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical instrument is divided into modular components, with high-wear parts (end effector, staple cartridge, knife) separated from the main body (shaft, drive housing). This segmentation allows the durable main body to be retained while replacing only the worn consumable components, resolving the contradiction between component durability and overall instrument lifespan.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a circularity system where consumable components are discarded after use and replaced, while the main instrument body is recovered, refurbished, and reused. This approach maintains reliability of the retained components while extending the overall instrument lifespan through systematic replacement of degraded parts.
2Reliability
If the entire surgical tool is discarded after a predetermined number of procedures, then high-wear components are replaced, but this creates environmental waste and loses the value of the instrument
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the instrument into consumable and non-consumable portions, the patent enables selective replacement of only the worn components rather than discarding the entire instrument. This reduces environmental waste while maintaining instrument performance through replacement of high-wear parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The circularity system discards only the consumable components (end effector, staple cartridge, knife) after their useful life, while recovering and refurbishing the main instrument body for continued use. This resolves the contradiction between ensuring instrument performance and minimizing environmental waste.
3Ease of repair
If the surgical tool is completely disassembled to replace components, then all parts can be accessed and replaced, but this increases the complexity and time required for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument's modular design with defined interfaces between components allows the end effector and other consumables to be replaced as independent units. This segmentation enables component replacement without complete disassembly, reducing maintenance complexity while maintaining ease of repair.
Solution Approach 2:
The consumable components are designed to be extractable from the main instrument body through simplified removal mechanisms. This extraction capability allows replacement of high-wear parts without disassembling the entire instrument, resolving the contradiction between ease of repair and device complexity.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If consumable components are designed for easy replacement, then the instrument can be rehabilitated and reused, but this requires specific design features that may increase manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The modular architecture with standardized interfaces between consumable and non-consumable components enables easy replacement while maintaining manufacturability. The segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using optimized processes, offsetting the design complexity with manufacturing efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The main instrument body is designed with universal interfaces that can accommodate different consumable components (end effectors, staple cartridges, knives). This universality extends the reusable life of the main body while the standardized interfaces simplify manufacturing compared to custom-fit designs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of replacing a consumable of a surgical tool includes securing the surgical tool, which includes a drive housing, a shaft extending from the drive housing, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including opposing upper and lower jaws, a wrist interposing the shaft and the end effector, and a knife assembly including a knife arranged at the end effector and first and second drive members extending to the drive housing. The method includes uncoupling the end effector from the wrist, moving the end effector distally from the wrist while the wrist remains intact, removing the knife assembly from the end effector, and thereby entirely separating the end effector from proximal portions of the surgical tool, replacing the consumable of the surgical tool, reconnecting the knife assembly to the surgical tool, and re-coupling the end effector to the wrist.