Double fire stapling

• US 10,327,768 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2018
• Issued: 06/25/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sadowski, Magda, Kostrzewski, Stanislaw
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecco, Andrew M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Igbokwe, Nicholas E
• Application Number:
  US16/055,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20180344317A1
• Time in Patent Office: 323 Days
• Field of Search: 2271801, 2271761, 2271771, 2271751
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3209 Incision instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips

Abstract

A tool assembly for a surgical stapling instrument includes anvil and cartridge assemblies movable between open and closed positions. The cartridge assembly includes a cartridge body defining a tissue contact surface and rows of staples. The cartridge body defines a first firing channel associated with a first row of staples and a second firing channel associated with a second row of staples. A firing cam is positioned within the first firing channel and translates therethrough during a first axial translation to fire the first row of staples. The first firing cam is biased to move into the second firing channel upon retraction after the first axial translation such that the first firing cam translates through the second firing channel upon a second axial translation to fire the second row of staples.

Claims

1. A tool assembly comprising:

a cartridge body defining a first firing channel and a second firing channel, the first firing channel associated with a first row of staples and the second firing channel associated with a second row of staples; and

a first firing cam positioned within the first firing channel of the cartridge body, the first firing cam configured to translate through the first firing channel during a first axial translation of the first firing cam to fire the first row of staples, the first firing cam being biased to move into the second firing channel of the cartridge body upon retraction of the first firing cam after the first axial translation such that the first firing cam moves to a position to translate through the second firing channel upon a second axial translation of the first firing cam to fire the second row of staples.

2. The tool assembly of claim 1, wherein the first firing cam is engaged with a first T-bar, the first T-bar is positioned to maintain the first firing cam in registration with the first firing channel when the first firing cam and the first T-bar are in fully retracted positions.

3. The tool assembly of claim 2, further including a second firing cam, the cartridge body defining third and fourth firing channels, the second firing cam configured to translate through the third firing channel during the first axial translation to fire a third row of staples, the second firing cam being biased to move into the fourth firing channel upon retraction of the second firing cam after the first axial translation such that the second firing cam is positioned to translate through the fourth firing channel upon the second axial translation to fire a fourth row of staples.

4. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the first and second firing cams are pivotally coupled together and positioned to pivot relative to one another.

5. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the cartridge body includes a first ramp and a second ramp, the first ramp positioned to align the first firing cam with one of the first and second firing channels, the second ramp positioned to align the second firing cam with one of the third and fourth firing channels.

6. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the cartridge body defines a knife channel therethrough, wherein two of the first, second, third, and fourth firing channels are disposed on one side of the knife channel and wherein a remaining two of the first, second, third and fourth firing channels are disposed on another side of the knife channel.

7. The tool assembly of claim 3, wherein the second firing cam is engaged with a second T-bar, the second T-bar positioned to maintain the second firing cam in registration with the third firing channel when the second firing cam and the second T-bar are in fully retracted positions.

8. The tool assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and second T-bars are configured to move along the cartridge body in response to movement of the first and second firing cams from a proximal position to a distal position during the first axial translation, the first and second T-bars being retained in the distal position as the first and firing cams are retracted to the proximal position after the first axial translation, wherein in the distal position, the first and second T-bars are positioned to enable movement of the first and second firing cams.

9. The tool assembly of claim 8, wherein the cartridge body defines a T-bar recess, the first and second T-bars being positioned within the T-bar recess while the first and second T-bars are disposed in the distal position.

10. The tool assembly of claim 1, further including a knife bar that supports a blade at a distal end of the knife bar, the cartridge body defining a knife channel, the knife bar being distally movable through the knife channel as the first firing cam translates through the first and second firing channels.

11. The tool assembly of claim 10, wherein the first firing cam includes a cam surface positioned to engage a plurality of pusher members, each of the plurality of pusher members configured to support at least one of the staples.

12. The tool assembly of claim 11, wherein the cam surface of the first firing cam extends distally beyond the blade of the knife bar.

13. A surgical stapling device comprising:

a housing;

a shaft that extends distally from the housing; and

a tool assembly supported on the shaft, the tool assembly including;

a cartridge body defining a first firing channel and a second firing channel, the first firing channel associated with a first row of staples and the second firing channel associated with a second row of staples; and

a first firing cam positioned within the first firing channel of the cartridge body, the first firing cam configured to translate through the first firing channel during a first axial translation of the first firing cam to fire the first row of staples, the first firing cam being biased to move into the second firing channel of the cartridge body upon retraction of the first firing cam after the first axial translation such that the first firing cam moves to a position to translate through the second firing channel upon a second axial translation of the first firing cam to fire the second row of staples.

14. The surgical stapling device of claim 13, wherein the first firing cam is engaged with a first T-bar, the first T-bar positioned to maintain the first firing cam in registration with the first firing channel when the first firing cam and the first T-bar are in fully retracted positions.

15. The surgical stapling device of claim 14, further including a knife bar supporting a blade at a distal end of the knife bar, the cartridge body defining a knife channel, the knife bar being distally movable through the knife channel as the first firing cam translates through the first and second firing channels.

16. The surgical stapling device of claim 14, further including a second firing cam, the cartridge body defining third and fourth firing channels, the second firing cam configured to translate through the third firing channel during the first axial translation to fire a third row of staples, the second firing cam being biased to move into the fourth firing channel upon retraction of the second firing cam after the first axial translation such that the second firing cam is positioned to translate through the fourth firing channel upon the second axial translation to fire a fourth row of staples.

17. The surgical stapling device of claim 16, wherein the cartridge body includes a first ramp and a second ramp, the first ramp positioned to align the first firing cam with one of the first and second firing channels, the second ramp positioned to align the second firing cam with one of the third and fourth firing channels.

18. The surgical stapling device of claim 16, wherein the second firing cam is engaged with a second T-bar, the second T-bar positioned to maintain the second firing cam in registration with the third firing channel when the second firing cam and the second T-bar are in fully retracted positions.

19. The surgical stapling device of claim 18, wherein the first and second T-bars are configured to move along the cartridge body in response to movement of the first and second firing cams from a proximal position to a distal position during the first axial translation, the first and second T-bars being retained in the distal position as the first and firing cams are retracted to the proximal position after the first axial translation, wherein in the distal position, the first and second T-bars are positioned to enable movement of the first and second firing cams.

20. The surgical stapling device of claim 19, wherein the cartridge body defines a T-bar recess, the first and second T-bars being positioned within the T-bar recess while the first and second T-bars are disposed in the distal position.