Surgical stapling instrument having multistroke firing incorporating a traction-biased ratcheting mechanism

• US 20050067458A1
• Filed: 09/29/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Swayze, Jeffrey S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,000,819 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips

Abstract

A surgical stapling and severing instrument particularly suited to endoscopic procedures incorporates a handle that produces separate closing and firing motions to actuate an end effector. In particular, the handle produces multiple firing strokes in order to reduce the required amount of force required to fire (i.e., staple and sever) the end effector. A linked transmission reduces the required handle longitudinal length, yet achieves a rigid, strong configuration when straightened for firing. A traction biased firing mechanism avoids binding in driving this straightened linked rack in cooperation with an anti-backup mechanism, with a lockout mechanism that prevents releasing the closure trigger during firing. Furthermore, an external indicator gives feedback to the surgeon as to how far firing has progressed, as well as providing a manual retraction capability.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector responsive to a longitudinal firing motion to perform a surgical operation;

a shaft distally connected to the end effector;

a firing member within the shaft to transfer the firing motion to the end effector; and

a handle proximally connected to the shaft and firing member, comprising;

a housing,

a firing control configured for manual movement by an operator in a firing direction and in an opposite return direction, and

a firing mechanism to couple with said firing member when said firing control moves in said firing direction.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said end effector comprises a stapling device responsive to the longitudinal firing motion to perform the surgical operation of stapling.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein said end effector comprises:

an elongate channel connected to said shaft;

an anvil pivotally coupled to said elongate channel for clamping tissue; and

a staple cartridge received in said elongate channel;

wherein said firing member distally terminates in a firing bar operably configured to actuate said staple cartridge to form staples in the clamped tissue.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3, further comprising a closure means of said stapling device.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said firing mechanism is frictionally biased such that it is adapted to disengage said firing member when said firing control is moved in said return direction.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further including a rack movably coupled with said firing member and operably coupling with said firing mechanism when said firing mechanism is actuated.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein said firing mechanism includes at least one friction surface for biasing said firing mechanism into coupling engagement with said firing member in response to movement of said firing control in the firing direction.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7, wherein said firing mechanism includes a biasing surface, said biasing surface engaging said friction surface in response to movement of said firing control in the firing direction.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein said firing control further comprises a trigger, an upper portion of said trigger traversing an arc during manual movement, at least a portion of a selected one of a group consisting of said friction and biasing surfaces being arcuate.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein a selected one of the group consisting of (i) said friction surface;

and ii said biasing surface is deformable.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the selected one of the group consisting of (i) said friction surface;

and (ii) said biasing surface comprises an elastomer.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the selected one of the group consisting of said friction surface and said biasing surface is smooth.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 8, wherein the selected one of the group consisting of said friction surface and said biasing surface is toothed.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the selected one of the group consisting of said friction surface and said biasing surface has a coefficient of friction between approximately 0.04 and approximately 0.4.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 8, said biasing surface is a wheel.

16. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector responsive to a longitudinal firing motion to perform a surgical operation;

a shaft distally connected to the end effector;

a firing member slidingly receiving by the shaft to transfer the firing motion to the end effector; and

a handle proximally connected to the shaft and firing member, comprising;

a rack distally coupled to the firing member,

a firing control responsive to an operator to move in a firing direction and a return direction, and

a firing mechanism including a frictionally biased pawl adapted to couple the firing control to the rack to impart the firing motion in response to movement of the firing control in the firing direction, wherein further said pawl is adapted to disengage the firing control from the rack in response to movement of the firing control in the return direction.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 16, wherein said end effector comprises a stapling device responsive to the longitudinal firing motion to perform the surgical operation of stapling.

18. The surgical instrument of claim 17, wherein said end effector comprises:

an elongate channel connected to said shaft;

an anvil pivotally coupled to said elongate channel for clamping tissue; and

a staple cartridge received in said elongate channel;

wherein said firing member distally terminates in a firing bar operably configured to actuate said staple cartridge to form staples in the clamped tissue.

19. A surgical instrument, comprising:

an end effector responsive to a longitudinal firing motion to perform a surgical operation;

a firing actuator responsive to a user operably configured to produce the firing motion; and

a firing means for frictionally coupling the firing motion of the firing actuator to the end effector.