Directionally biased staple and anvil assembly for forming the staple

• US 20060124688A1
• Filed: 10/17/2005
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Racenet, David C., Bayer, Hanspeter R., Cunningham, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 7,398,907 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• 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 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

In accordance with the present disclosure a directionally biased staple is provided for use in all types of surgical staplers having anvil structure against which the staple is formed. The directionally biased staple may be constructed in a wide variety of cross-sectional configurations including rectangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, etc. All of the configurations are distinguished by having a bending region requiring more force to twist or malform the staple than is required to properly form the staple. Preferably, these staples have Moment of Inertia Ratios on the order of between about 1.1 to about 3.0. The staple preferably corresponds in other respects to conventional formed staples, i.e. having at least a pair of leg members interconnected by a crown portion wherein the leg members are formed by direct contact with the anvil. An anvil assembly is also provided for minimizing the malformation of staples.

Claims

1. An anvil assembly comprising:

an anvil plate having a tissue contact surface defining a plane and a plurality of anvil pockets formed therein, each of the anvil pockets having a central longitudinal axis and including first and second staple forming cups, each of the first and second staple forming cups having an outside portion and an inside portion, the inside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in close relation to each other on the central longitudinal axis of the anvil pocket, the outside portion of the first and second staple forming cups being positioned in spaced relation to each other on the central longitudinal axis of the anvil pocket, each of the first and second cups being defined by sidewalls and an elongated base surface extending along the central longitudinal axis of the anvil pocket, wherein the sidewalls of each of the first and second cups form an acute angle with respect to the plane defined by the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate at the outside portion of the cup and become progressively more perpendicular towards the inside portion of the cup such that the first and second cups are substantially vertical through at least a portion of the inside portion of the cup.

2. An anvil assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elongated base surface is linear along an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the anvil pocket.

3. An anvil assembly according to claim 1, wherein the sidewalls defining the inside portion of each cup are substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate such that a substantially vertical trap is formed in a central portion of each of the anvil pockets.

4. An anvil assembly according to claim 3, further including a channeling surface formed about at least a portion of each of the staple forming cups.

5. An anvil assembly according to claim 3, wherein the elongated base surface is concavely curved along the longitudinal axis of the anvil pocket.

6. An anvil assembly according to claim 5, wherein the concavely curved elongated base surface has a radius of curvature r, and the length of the substantially vertical trap is from about 0.5r to about 2r.

7. An anvil assembly according to claim 6, wherein the length of the substantially vertical trap is about r.

8. An anvil assembly according to claim 7, wherein the length of the substantially vertical trap is from about 0.030″

to about 0.100 inch.

9. An anvil assembly according to claim 8, wherein the length of the substantially vertical trap is about 0.050 inch.

10. An anvil assembly according to claim 3, wherein the substantially vertical trap extends along the entirety of the length of the inside portion of the staple forming cup.

11. An anvil assembly according to claim 10, wherein the substantially vertical trap starts in the central portion of the staple forming cup.

12. An anvil assembly according to claim 11, wherein the substantially vertical trap starts before the central portion of the staple forming cup.