Surgical Stapler Imaging Control for Precise Firing Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments face challenges in precision and efficiency, particularly in navigating complex tissue structures and maintaining consistent staple firing paths during procedures like stomach sleeve creation, due to limitations in articulation and tissue handling mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
The development of a surgical stapling instrument with advanced articulation systems, including a drive system that allows for precise tissue manipulation and a display-based staple firing path control, enabling real-time adjustment and synchronization of staple deployment to match anatomical features.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional surgical stapling instruments are used, then the device structure is simple, but the precision and consistency of staple firing path is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical stapling instrument incorporates an articulation system with multiple degrees of freedom that allows dynamic adjustment of the end effector's orientation and position. The articulation joint enables the distal head to rotate relative to the shaft, providing real-time adaptability to complex tissue structures while maintaining precise staple firing paths throughout the procedure
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument integrates sensors that detect the position and orientation of the end effector relative to anatomical landmarks, providing feedback to the control system. This feedback mechanism enables real-time correction of the staple firing path to maintain precision and consistency even when navigating complex tissue geometries
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed staple firing path is used, then the device operation is simple, but the adaptability to complex tissue structures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a fixed firing path to a dynamic, adjustable firing path that can be modified in real-time. The articulation system allows the surgeon to adapt the staple deployment trajectory to match complex anatomical structures such as the stomach wall curvature, while the control system manages the complexity through intuitive interfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The instrument enables modification of firing path parameters including angle, position, and curvature to adapt to different tissue structures. The articulation joint provides adjustable degrees of freedom that allow the firing path to conform to anatomical variations while maintaining consistent staple formation and deployment
3Manufacturing precision
If manual tissue handling is used, then the device structure is simple, but the synchronization of tissue handling and staple deployment is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument combines multiple functions into an integrated system where the articulation mechanism simultaneously controls both tissue manipulation and staple deployment trajectory. The synchronized operation of the articulation joint ensures that tissue handling and staple firing are coordinated, improving placement accuracy without requiring separate manual adjustments
Solution Approach 2:
Sensors detect the position and orientation of the end effector during tissue manipulation, providing real-time feedback to the control system. This feedback enables automatic synchronization of tissue handling movements with staple deployment timing and trajectory, ensuring precise staple placement while coordinating complex tissue manipulation tasks
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical instrument for treating the stomach tissue of a patient is disclosed. The surgical instrument comprises a handle comprising a display, a shaft extending from the handle, and an end effector extending from said shaft. The surgical system comprises a tissue treatment system configured to treat the stomach tissue along a path, an imaging system configured to capture a tissue image of the stomach tissue, and a controller configured to determine an edge of the stomach tissue, generate an image representing at least a portion of the edge of the stomach tissue, and display the image along with at least a portion of the tissue image on the display.