AI-Enhanced Surgical Stapling System with Integrated Shipping Cap
Legal Citation
Summary of the Inventive Concept
The present inventive concept integrates advanced technologies, such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and new materials, with a surgical stapling device featuring a shipping cap, to create a more efficient, reliable, and connected surgical stapling system.
Background and Problem Solved
The original patent disclosed a surgical stapling device with a shipping cap, which, although effective, had limitations in terms of device performance tracking, maintenance prediction, and real-time monitoring. The present inventive concept addresses these limitations by incorporating synergistic combinations of advanced technologies to enhance the overall surgical stapling experience.
Detailed Description of the Inventive Concept
The AI-enhanced surgical stapling system consists of a surgical stapling device with a shipping cap, an AI-powered analytics module for tracking device performance and predicting maintenance needs, an IoT-enabled cloud-based platform for real-time monitoring and data analysis, a blockchain-based system for verifying device usage and maintenance history, and a sensor array for detecting tissue properties and providing real-time feedback to the clinician. The system enables clinicians to make data-driven decisions, reduces device downtime, and improves patient outcomes.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The present inventive concept is novel and non-obvious in its integration of AI, IoT, blockchain, and new materials with a surgical stapling device featuring a shipping cap, which provides a synergistic combination of technologies that enhances the overall surgical stapling experience.
Alternative Embodiments and Variations
Alternative embodiments of the inventive concept may include varying the type of advanced materials used, modifying the AI-powered analytics module to incorporate machine learning algorithms, or integrating additional sensors to detect other tissue properties.
Potential Commercial Applications and Market
The AI-enhanced surgical stapling system has significant commercial potential in the medical device industry, particularly in the fields of minimally invasive surgery, laparoscopic surgery, and robotic surgery, with potential applications in hospitals, outpatient surgery centers, and medical research institutions.
CPC Classifications
| Section | Class | Group |
|---|---|---|
| A | A61 | A61B17/072 |
| A | A61 | A61B90/03 |
| A | A61 | A61B2017/07271 |
| A | A61 | A61B2090/038 |
Section 103 Obviousness Analysis (PHOSITA)
Field of Art
Surgical instrumentation, specifically surgical stapling devices with advanced mechanical and electronic integration, requiring expertise in biomedical engineering, mechanical design, and medical device technologies
Person of Ordinary Skill (PHOSITA) Profile
A biomedical engineer with advanced degree, 5-7 years experience in surgical device design, familiar with mechanical integration, sensor technologies, and medical device regulatory requirements
Obviousness Rationale
A PHOSITA would recognize that integrating AI, IoT, and blockchain technologies with existing surgical stapling device architectures represents a predictable extension of known medical device innovation strategies. The core mechanical stapling mechanism remains fundamentally unchanged from the source patent, with technological enhancements representing standard evolutionary design approaches in medical instrumentation. The proposed variations represent logical combinations of known technologies with existing surgical stapling platforms.
Obvious Combinations & Variations
Original Patent Information
| Patent Number | US 11,857,185 |
|---|---|
| Title | Surgical stapling device with shipping cap |
| Assignee(s) | Covidien LP |