T-slot tilt anvil for circular stapling instrument

• US 10,213,205 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2013
• Issued: 02/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Williams, Justin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Assistant Examiner(s): Palmer, Lucas
• Application Number:
  US13/888,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20140008413A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,121 Days
• Field of Search: 227 8, 2271752
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil

Abstract

A surgical stapling device and method for joining tissue portions are provided including a handle assembly, an elongate body extending from the handle assembly, a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, and an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device. The anvil assembly includes a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft. A sleeve member is slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and is transitionable between a first position, where the sleeve member engages the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in an un-tilted condition, and a second position, where the sleeve member is disengaged from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to tilt.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body extending from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array;

an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device, the anvil assembly having a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft, the anvil assembly translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and a second position, where the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween, the head of the anvil assembly transitionable between a first condition, where a tissue contacting surface of the head is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and a second condition, where the tissue contacting surface of the head is tilted relative to the shaft; and

an anvil sleeve including an elongate portion slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and an arm extending from the elongate portion, the anvil sleeve being transitionable between a first position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is engaged to the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in the first condition, and a second position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is spaced from head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to transition to the second condition, the arm being configured to engage the anvil head when the anvil sleeve transitions to the second position to transition the anvil head to the second condition;

wherein the arm includes at least one protrusion configured for releasable engagement with a recess of the anvil head to inhibit transitioning of the anvil sleeve relative to the anvil assembly from the first position to the second position.

2. A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body extending from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array;

an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device, the anvil assembly having a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft, the anvil assembly translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and a second position, where the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween, the head of the anvil assembly transitionable between a first condition, where a tissue contacting surface of the head is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and a second condition, where the tissue contacting surface of the head is tilted relative to the shaft; and

an anvil sleeve including an elongate portion slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and an arm extending from the elongate portion, the anvil sleeve being transitionable between a first position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is releasably secured to the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in the first condition, and a second position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is disengaged and spaced from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to transition to the second condition, the arm being configured to engage the anvil head when the anvil sleeve transitions to the second position to transition the anvil head to the second condition;

wherein the cartridge assembly includes a locking sleeve, the locking sleeve translatable relative to the anvil sleeve to engage the anvil sleeve when the anvil assembly is in the second position, the locking sleeve configured to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the locking sleeve including at least one tab configured for engagement with a lip of the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position; and

wherein the elongate portion includes a distal portion, a central portion and a proximal portion, the central portion being recessed relative to the distal and proximal portions such that the central portion and proximal portion define the lip at the interface therebetween.

3. A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body extending from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array;

an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device, the anvil assembly having a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft, the anvil assembly translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and a second position, where the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween, the head of the anvil assembly transitionable between a first condition, where a tissue contacting surface of the head is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and a second condition, where the tissue contacting surface of the head is tilted relative to the shaft; and

an anvil sleeve including an elongate portion slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and an arm extending from the elongate portion, the anvil sleeve being transitionable between a first position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is releasably secured to the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in the first condition, and a second position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is disengaged and spaced from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to transition to the second condition, the arm being configured to engage the anvil head when the anvil sleeve transitions to the second position to transition the anvil head to the second condition;

wherein the cartridge assembly includes a locking sleeve, the locking sleeve translatable relative to the anvil sleeve to engage the anvil sleeve when the anvil assembly is in the second position, the locking sleeve configured to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the locking sleeve including at least one tab configured for engagement with a lip of the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the at least one tab being biased inward toward the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve.

4. A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body extending from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array;

an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device, the anvil assembly having a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft, the anvil assembly translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and a second position, where the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween, the head of the anvil assembly transitionable between a first condition, where a tissue contacting surface of the head is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and a second condition, where the tissue contacting surface of the head is tilted relative to the shaft; and

an anvil sleeve including an elongate portion slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and an arm extending from the elongate portion, the anvil sleeve being transitionable between a first position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is releasably secured to the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in the first condition, and a second position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is disengaged and spaced from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to transition to the second condition, the arm being configured to engage the anvil head when the anvil sleeve transitions to the second position to transition the anvil head to the second condition;

wherein the cartridge assembly includes a locking sleeve, the locking sleeve translatable relative to the anvil sleeve to engage the anvil sleeve when the anvil assembly is in the second position, the locking sleeve configured to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the locking sleeve including at least one tab configured for engagement with a lip of the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position; and

wherein each tab includes an arcuate portion extending from a distal end of the locking member, a longitudinal portion extending proximally from the arcuate portion and a leg extending from the longitudinal portion through an opening of the locking sleeve.

5. A surgical stapling device for joining tissue portions, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body extending from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly supported on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge containing a plurality of surgical staples in an annular array;

an anvil assembly at a distal end of the surgical stapling device, the anvil assembly having a shaft for removably coupling the anvil assembly to the cartridge assembly and a head pivotally mounted to a distal end of the shaft, the anvil assembly translatable relative to the cartridge assembly between a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, and a second position, where the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the cartridge assembly for clamping tissue disposed therebetween, the head of the anvil assembly transitionable between a first condition, where a tissue contacting surface of the head is substantially perpendicular to the shaft, and a second condition, where the tissue contacting surface of the head is tilted relative to the shaft; and

an anvil sleeve including an elongate portion slidably disposed about the shaft of the anvil assembly and an arm extending from the elongate portion, the anvil sleeve being transitionable between a first position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is releasably secured to the head of the anvil assembly to secure the head in the first condition, and a second position, where the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve is disengaged and spaced from the head of the anvil assembly to allow the head to transition to the second condition, the arm being configured to engage the anvil head when the anvil sleeve transitions to the second position to transition the anvil head to the second condition;

wherein the cartridge assembly includes a locking sleeve, the locking sleeve translatable relative to the anvil sleeve to engage the anvil sleeve when the anvil assembly is in the second position, the locking sleeve configured to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the locking sleeve including at least one tab configured for engagement with a lip of the elongate portion of the anvil sleeve to disengage the anvil sleeve from the anvil assembly during transition of the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position; and

wherein the at least one tab is disposed in a recess of the cartridge assembly when the locking sleeve is in a first, proximal position, the at least one tab being configured to release from the recess of the cartridge assembly and engage the lip of the anvil sleeve when the locking sleeve is transitioned to at least one subsequent distal position.

6. A surgical stapling device according to claim 5, wherein the cartridge assembly includes a knife pusher operably coupled to the handle assembly and configured to distally advance a knife blade to sever tissue disposed radially inward of the staple cartridge upon actuation of the handle assembly.

7. A surgical stapling device according to claim 6, wherein the knife pusher includes at least one recess at a distal end thereof, the at least one recess being configured to engage a respective tab of the locking sleeve upon distal advancement of the knife pusher to advance the locking sleeve distally from the first, proximal position to the at least one subsequent distal position.

8. A method of use for a surgical stapling device having an anvil assembly with a pivoting head, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting the surgical stapling device into an opening in a body;

positioning the surgical stapling device within the body such that a portion of tissue is disposed between an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly of the surgical stapling device;

translating the anvil assembly from a first position, where the anvil assembly is spaced from the cartridge assembly, to a second position, where the anvil assembly approximated relative to the cartridge assembly to clamp the tissue therebetween;

translating a staple pusher relative to the cartridge assembly to urge a plurality of fasteners disposed in the cartridge assembly through the tissue towards the anvil assembly;

translating a locking sleeve of the cartridge assembly relative to an anvil sleeve of the anvil assembly such that a portion of the locking sleeve engages the anvil sleeve;

translating the anvil assembly from the second position to the first position, the anvil sleeve of the anvil assembly disengaging from the anvil assembly due to the engagement of the locking sleeve with the anvil sleeve to allow the head to pivot;

engaging an arm of the anvil sleeve against the head of the anvil assembly to pivot the head of the anvil assembly; and

withdrawing the surgical stapling device from the body;

wherein translating the locking sleeve relative to the anvil sleeve includes translating a knife pusher of the cartridge assembly relative to the locking sleeve to engage the locking sleeve and translate the locking sleeve relative to the anvil sleeve.