Surgical stapling instrument having an electroactive polymer actuated buttress deployment mechanism
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument for fastening buttress material to tissue, comprising:
- an elongate shaft;
a fastener applying assembly distally attached to the elongate shaft and including opposing tissue compression surfaces;
an electrically actuated retention member selectively positioned between an engaged position holding buttress material to a selected tissue compression surface; and
control circuitry operably configured to produce a control signal to actuate the electrically actuated retention member to deploy the buttress material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted to a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes electrically actuated deployment of buttress pads held on inner surfaces of upper and lower jaws of a staple applying assembly. Thereby, thick or thin layers may be stapled and severed without improper staple formation nor with nonoptimal deployment of the buttress pads. Electroactive polymer (EAP) actuated latches, an EAP channel, or a rigid channel with an EAP pinch lock reliably hold the buttress pad until deployment is desired with a low force to separate the stapled and severed buttress pad/tissue combination with the respective EAP mechanism activated for deployment.
576 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument for fastening buttress material to tissue, comprising:
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an elongate shaft;
a fastener applying assembly distally attached to the elongate shaft and including opposing tissue compression surfaces;
an electrically actuated retention member selectively positioned between an engaged position holding buttress material to a selected tissue compression surface; and
control circuitry operably configured to produce a control signal to actuate the electrically actuated retention member to deploy the buttress material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A surgical instrument for fastening buttress material to tissue, comprising:
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an elongate shaft comprising a frame ground guiding a firing member for longitudinal reciprocating motion;
a handle portion proximally attached to the elongate shaft and operatively configured to longitudinally move the firing member;
first and second buttress pads;
a staple applying assembly distally attached to the elongate shaft and comprising opposing tissue compression surfaces operatively configured to respond to distal motion of the firing member to form staples between the opposing tissue compression surfaces through the first and second buttress pads and interposed compressed tissue;
an electrically actuated retention member selectively positioned between an engaged position holding a selected buttress pad to a selected tissue compression surface; and
control circuitry operably configured to produce a control signal to actuate the electrically actuated retention member to effect a selected one of retaining and deploying the first and second buttress pads. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A surgical instrument for fastening buttress material to tissue, comprising:
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an elongate shaft;
a staple applying assembly distally attached to the elongate shaft and including opposing tissue compression surfaces; and
a means for engaging a buttress pad to each tissue compression surface and to remotely electrically controlling deployment of the buttress pads via electroactive polymer activation after stapling to interposed tissue.
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Specification