State-of-Art Digest: Endoscopic Powered Linear Stapler (vi)

Bluesail Surgical is the subsidiary of Bluesail Medical which focused on surgical products. After several takeovers and a two-year registration procedure, it recently launched two powered endoscopic linear stapler: Siderlux? and Astrolux?.

"Starting with Siderlux, Thriving with Astrolux"

Control Layout

As claimed, Astrolux is an upgrade version from Siderlux powered stapler. The key difference is their operational layout. The siderlux clearly inherited the classical design conventions. It consist of a long trigger to close the jaw, a short blue trigger to fire the knife. a red safety trigger in between to avoid misoperation, a blade reverse button, and a jaw opening button on the sides.

In Astrolux, those functions are integrated in a simplistic fashion.The jaw-opening and blade retrival functions are integrated in one trigger. Meanwhile, the jaw-closing and firing functions are integrated in another.Those two triggers are distributed in analogy of a seesaw to avoid simultaneous activations. Furthermore, press-based safety buttons were designed to activate pre-compression and prevent misfiring of the blade.

Pre-compression

Similar to the powered linear staplers of Reach Surgical and Fulbright Medical , the Astrolux are equipped with an optional pre-compression notifications to the surgeons.The surgeon would started a 15 seconds count down when pressing the safety button once after closing the jaw. Visual notifications would alarm the surgeons by each five seconds counted. The blade is ready to fire after a second press to the safety button. The whole process is optional and could be skipped by double press the safety button.

Pulling Based Articulation

Both of the powered staplers are not equipped with an articulation lever. Instead, they are claimed to actively articulate the distal joint by pulling the rotation knob. The information about this design is limited and to be confirmed. It shall be logical to deduce that its structure is a flexible rotation knob eligible to push and pull for the articulating function. This axial motion of the rotation knob would not eventually affect the length of the metal shaft.

U-Lock and Raindrop Grooves

Speaking of the staple cartridges, a GST alike technology called U-lock was claimed. This U texture at the axial two ends of the staple pits would increase the specific contact area between the reload cartridge and the tissue clampped. Moreover, the convex U-shaped structure would also regulate the staple formation together with the raindrop grooves at the anvil jaws. The so-called raindrop grooves are carved textures to smoothly guide the staples into desired 3D B-shapes.

Spy-Beak Accessory

Analogous to the 'Curved tip' accessory from 美敦力 , this spy beak accessory provide extra angle to the anvil jaws of the powered staplers. The accessory would then act as a small shovel to bypass complex vascular structures. One thing to be noted is the colour of the spy beak, this may rise from a material of gold or heat treated titanium alloys which makes the accessory softer and safer.

Specs

Limited info of the devices mentioned above is available. This part of the info would be enriched later.