Surgical Stapling Instrument Magnetic Articulation Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical stapling instruments require significant manual dexterity and often necessitate the use of both hands to articulate the end effector relative to the elongate shaft, limiting the surgeon's ability to perform other tasks during procedures.
Innovation Solution
The surgical instrument incorporates an articulation joint system utilizing solenoids, motors, and magnetic elements to enable single-handed operation by allowing the end effector to be articulated and locked relative to the elongate shaft, allowing for independent control of the stapling and cutting functions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a surgical stapling instrument includes an articulation joint that requires manual operation of a lever to articulate the end effector relative to the shaft, then the instrument can be suitable for many surgical circumstances, but the surgeon must use both hands (one hand to hold the handle assembly and the other to operate the lever), limiting the surgeon's ability to perform other tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation joint is designed to articulate automatically based on the natural gripping posture of the surgeon's hand. When the surgeon closes their hand to grasp the handle assembly, the articulation lever is automatically actuated through the mechanical coupling between the fingers and the lever mechanism, eliminating the need for separate manual operation of the articulation control
Solution Approach 2:
The operation of articulating the end effector is merged with the operation of gripping the handle assembly. The same hand motion that closes the fingers to hold the instrument also triggers the articulation through the integrated lever mechanism, combining two previously separate operations into one unified action
2Ease of operation
If the surgical instrument requires two hands to operate (one for handle assembly and one for articulation lever), then articulation can be controlled precisely, but the surgeon cannot have a hand free to perform other steps in the surgical procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The articulation control system serves itself by utilizing the surgeon's natural gripping motion to actuate the articulation lever, eliminating the need for a dedicated control hand while maintaining precise articulation control through the mechanical design of the self-actuating mechanism
3Device complexity
If the instrument uses a mechanical lever system for articulation, then the structure can be simple and reliable, but the surgeon must use significant manual dexterity and both hands to operate it
Solution Approach 1:
The simple mechanical lever system is enhanced with a self-actuating feature that converts the surgeon's gripping motion into articulation lever movement, maintaining the simplicity and reliability of the mechanical structure while dramatically improving ease of operation through the self-service mechanism
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
Enables efficient and precise articulation of the end effector with one hand, freeing the surgeon to perform other tasks during surgical procedures while maintaining control over stapling and cutting functions.
Implementation Method 1
The articulation joint can include a solenoid configured to articulate the end effector
Implementation Method 2
elongate shaft can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to generate a magnetic force configured to articulate the end effector
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 2
AI summary
In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to articulate an end effector (1122) of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument can comprise at least one electromagnet (1141) which can be selectively activated, or polarized, to generate a magnetic field sufficient to motivate a second magnetic element, such as a permanent magnet (1149) and/or an iron core, for example, mounted to the end effector. In certain embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to open and/or close an end effector of the surgical instrument. In at least one embodiment, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to advance and/or retract a firing bar, cutting member, and/or staple sled within the surgical instrument in order to incise and/or staple tissue positioned within an end effector of the surgical instrument.