Surgical Stapling Instrument Nonplanar Jaw Gripping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical stapling and severing instruments lack effective tissue gripping capabilities, limiting their ability to precisely position tissue before stapling and severing, especially in minimally invasive procedures like laparoscopic and endoscopic surgeries.
Innovation Solution
The surgical instrument features a staple applying assembly with nonplanar gripping surfaces on both jaws that cooperate to grasp and position tissue, allowing for enhanced prepositioning and operation as a grasper, along with a separate closure and firing trigger mechanism for precise control during stapling and severing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the end effector uses simple jaw members for stapling, then the structure is simple, but the tissue gripping capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The anvil is divided into multiple functional zones: a central stapling surface and peripheral gripping surfaces with ridges. This segmentation allows the anvil to perform both stapling and tissue gripping functions simultaneously, improving tissue gripping capability without adding a separate grasper mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The gripping surfaces on the anvil and jaw are designed with nonplanar features including ridges and textured patterns specifically at the peripheral regions where tissue gripping is needed. This local quality enhancement provides effective tissue grip without complicating the entire end effector structure.
2Measurement precision
If the instrument is designed for precise tissue positioning, then the gripping precision is improved, but the risk of inadvertent firing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The firing control function is extracted from the closure trigger and assigned to a separate firing trigger. This separation allows the closure trigger to focus solely on jaw closure and tissue gripping without inadvertently activating the firing mechanism, thereby improving firing control safety while maintaining positioning precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The closure trigger is designed to first close the jaws and secure tissue gripping before enabling the firing trigger to activate stapling. This preliminary action sequence ensures that tissue is properly positioned and secured before the firing mechanism is engaged, reducing the risk of inadvertent firing.
3Ease of operation
If the jaw members are made planar for easy manufacturing, then the manufacturing cost is reduced, but the tissue gripping effectiveness is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The gripping surfaces are designed with nonplanar features including ridges, contours, and textured patterns rather than flat surfaces. These curved and three-dimensional features significantly improve tissue gripping effectiveness by increasing surface contact and friction, while remaining manufacturable through standard machining and molding processes.
Data Source
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AI summary
A surgical instrument (10) for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted through a cannula of a trocar into an insufflated body cavity or lumen ("surgical site") for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue including gripping surfaces on inner surfaces of an upper and lower jaw that enhance use as a grasping instrument to preposition tissue prior to performing a stapling and severing procedure. An illustrative version advantageously includes a separate closure trigger (30) and closure mechanism that facilitates use as a grasper without the possibility for inadvertent firing (i.e., stapling and severing).