Tissue Sealing Forceps with Segmented Conductive Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current electrosurgical instruments face challenges in effectively sealing luminal tissue, such as bowel tissue, due to the need for precise control of clamping pressure and electrosurgical energy distribution, especially considering stress concentrations from distention and peristaltic reactions.
Innovation Solution
The design of a forceps with moveable jaw members featuring an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate with a main and auxiliary seal portion, and optionally thermal damage elements, allows for independent energy control to create effective tissue seals by distributing stress and reducing concentrations through arcuate configurations and spaced-apart fingers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single main seal portion is used, then the tissue seal is created, but stress concentrations occur adjacent the main tissue seal during bowel distention and peristaltic reactions
Solution Approach 1:
The tissue sealing plate is divided into a main seal portion and multiple auxiliary seal portions (fingers) that are spaced apart from each other. This segmentation distributes the sealing function across multiple discrete elements, allowing stress to be distributed across multiple seal points rather than concentrated at a single location, thereby reducing stress concentrations during bowel distention and peristaltic reactions.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary seal portions extend in a direction generally perpendicular to the long axis of the main seal portion, adding a spatial dimension to the seal distribution. This perpendicular arrangement creates a two-dimensional pattern of seal points across the tissue, effectively distributing stress across both the main seal and auxiliary seals in different spatial orientations.
2Reliability
If electrosurgical energy is applied to seal tissue, then hemostasis and tissue sealing are achieved, but precise control of energy distribution and clamping pressure is required
Solution Approach 1:
The electrosurgical energy delivery system is segmented into multiple independent pathways, with separate control mechanisms for the main seal portion and each auxiliary seal portion. This allows independent activation and energy delivery to each seal element, enabling precise control over where and how energy is applied to the tissue, thereby achieving reliable sealing while managing the complexity of energy distribution.
3Stress or pressure
If the auxiliary seal portions are spaced apart, then stress concentrations are reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary seal portions are designed as multi-functional elements that serve both as additional seal points for stress distribution and as structural components of the sealing plate. By integrating these auxiliary seals into the overall plate structure rather than adding them as separate components, the design achieves stress distribution benefits while minimizing the increase in device complexity.
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 solution ensures robust and reliable tissue sealing with reduced stress concentrations, enhancing the burst pressure and integrity of the seal, particularly during bowel distention and peristaltic events.
Implementation Method 1
The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a tissue seal
Implementation Method 2
The thermal damage elements are configured to conduct energy through tissue to thermally-damage tissue adjacent the tissue seal
Data Source
AI summary
A forceps includes an end effector assembly having first and second jaw members. One (or both) of the jaw members is moveable relative to the other between a spaced-apart position and an approximated position for grasping tissue therebetween. One (or both) of the jaw members includes an opposed jaw surface having an electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate disposed thereon. The electrically-conductive tissue sealing plate includes a first portion configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create a main tissue seal and a second portion including a plurality of spaced-apart fingers extending from the first portion. The second portion is configured to conduct energy through tissue grasped between the jaw members to create an auxiliary tissue seal extending from the main tissue seal for reducing stress concentrations adjacent the main tissue seal.