Tissue Clip With Deformable Electrodes For Reliable Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical instruments for sealing and clipping tissue lack assurance of the effectiveness of energy-based tissue seals, necessitating enhanced methods to ensure consistent and reliable sealing.
Innovation Solution
A tissue clip with deformable electrodes and an insulator, configured to form a U-shaped or V-shaped structure, is used in conjunction with electrosurgical forceps to apply and maintain pressure on tissue, ensuring a secure seal through controlled electrical energy application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If energy-based devices are used to seal tissue, then tissue sealing is achieved, but the effectiveness and reliability of the seal is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines mechanical clipping action with electrosurgical energy application in a single integrated device. The forceps jaws incorporate both mechanical clamping surfaces and electrodes, allowing simultaneous mechanical compression and electrical energy delivery to tissue. This merging provides dual mechanisms for sealing - mechanical pressure from the clip structure and thermal/electrical effects from the energy source - thereby enhancing the reliability and effectiveness of tissue seals.
2Reliability
If typical energy-based tissue seals are created, then adequate sealing is provided, but further assurance of effectiveness is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The forceps device is designed with multi-functionality, where the same jaw members serve multiple purposes: mechanical grasping, mechanical clipping through the U-shaped structure, and electrosurgical energy delivery. The U-shaped configuration provides both the mechanical clip structure and integrated electrode surfaces, allowing a single device to perform sealing, clipping, and energy application without requiring separate instruments, thus managing complexity while enhancing reliability.
3Stress or pressure
If mechanical clamping is applied to tissue, then tissue is secured, but consistent pressure control is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The U-shaped forceps structure incorporates flexible or elastomeric materials in the clip arms, allowing dynamic adaptation to tissue contours while maintaining consistent pressure. The elastic components can deform to match the shape of the tissue being sealed, ensuring uniform pressure distribution across the sealing surface. This dynamic flexibility enables the device to maintain reliable pressure control (3-16 kg/cm²) regardless of tissue variations, enhancing seal effectiveness.
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
The tissue clip effectively maintains pressure on the tissue within a range of 3 kg/cm2 to 16 kg/cm2, creating a reliable and consistent tissue seal by controlling the gap between electrodes and utilizing stop members to optimize the seal quality.
Implementation Method 1
energizing the electrodes utilizing an electrosurgical energy source to create a tissue seal
Implementation Method 2
The electrodes and insulator are deformable to shape the tissue clip to include upper and lower legs and a twisted central portion defined therebetween
Data Source
AI summary
A tissue clip including an electrode assembly having first and second electrodes with an insulator disposed therebetween. The electrodes are configured to connect to opposite potentials of an energy source. The electrodes and insulator are deformable to shape the tissue clip to include upper and lower legs with a twisted central portion defined therebetween. The upper leg includes an outer facing portion having one end of the first electrode removably coupled to a first jaw of a forceps and an inner facing portion including an end of the second electrode configured to grasp tissue. The lower leg includes an outer facing portion having an opposite end of the second electrode removably coupled to a second jaw and an inner facing portion that includes the opposite end of the first electrode and is configured to grasp tissue.