Surgical Stapling Adjunct with Distinct Compositional Regions
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
During surgical procedures involving multiple staple cartridges, the overlap of adjuncts can cause distortion of staples, leading to bleeding and complications due to the knife driving the adjunct distally, known as plowing.
Innovation Solution
The design of an adjunct with distinct regions of varying compositions and structures, including a slot or perforations, to minimize staple distortion and facilitate smooth cutting through overlapping materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a uniform composition adjunct is used throughout, then manufacturing is simple, but the knife causes plowing and staple distortion when cutting through overlapping adjuncts
Solution Approach 1:
The adjunct incorporates different material compositions in different regions: a first composition in the proximal region, a second composition in the intermediate region, and a third composition in the distal region. This local differentiation allows the proximal region to provide reinforcement while the distal region facilitates cleaner cutting through overlapping adjuncts, preventing plowing and staple distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjunct uses composite material construction with at least two different compositions (first, second, and third compositions) within a single adjunct structure. This composite approach combines the benefits of different materials - some providing strength and reinforcement, others providing cutability - to resolve the contradiction between manufacturing simplicity and staple formation accuracy.
2Productivity
If multiple staple cartridges are fired sequentially along a tissue cut line, then complete tissue transection is achieved, but overlapping adjuncts cause increased reinforcement that leads to plowing and staple distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The adjunct is designed with region-specific properties where the distal region (facing the knife) has material characteristics optimized for cutting through overlapping layers, while the proximal region maintains reinforcement properties. This allows sequential staple cartridge firing to complete tissue transection without the overlapping adjuncts causing plowing that would distort staples.
Solution Approach 2:
The adjunct is segmented into distinct compositional regions (proximal, intermediate, and distal regions with different compositions) that perform different functions. This segmentation allows the adjunct to simultaneously provide reinforcement where needed and facilitate clean cutting where the knife passes, ensuring reliable staple formation during sequential firing.
3Force
If the knife drives through overlapping adjuncts with increased reinforcement, then complete cutting is achieved, but the adjunct is driven distally causing staple distortion and bleeding
Solution Approach 1:
The distal region of the adjunct uses a third composition specifically designed to reduce resistance to knife passage while the proximal region uses a first composition that provides reinforcement. This local quality differentiation allows the knife to pass through overlapping adjuncts without driving them distally, preventing staple distortion and bleeding while maintaining complete cutting capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potential harm of overlapping adjuncts creating excessive reinforcement into a benefit by using different compositions in different regions. The distal region's material properties are specifically chosen to allow the knife to pass through overlapping layers without causing plowing, thereby converting what would be a harmful effect (increased reinforcement) into a beneficial outcome (clean cutting without staple distortion).
Data Source
AI summary
An adjunct for use with a surgical stapling system is disclosed. The adjunct comprises a first region. The first region comprises a first composition. The adjunct comprises a second region. The second region is distal to the first region and comprises a second composition. The adjunct comprises a third region. The third region is distal to the second region. The third region comprises a third composition. The second composition differs from the first composition and the third composition.