Palm size surgical stapler for single hand operation

• US 20060219752A1
• Filed: 06/05/2006
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Niti Surgical Solutions Ltd.
• Original Assignee: NITI Medical Technologies Limited
• Inventors: Perle, Amir, Arad, Michael, Rosner, Dror, Harari, Boaz
• Granted Patent: US 7,328,829 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 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2922 toggle linkages
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/061 for measuring dimensions, e.g. length

Abstract

Palm-size staplers for surgical procedures are proposed. The staplers include cartridge and slider assemblies with the cartridge assembly containing staples. As the slider assembly advances step-wise incrementally it provides a staple ejection force causing ejection of staples. Optionally, a blade element may be included for cutting. An anvil member is operable in closed and open positions with respect to the cartridge assembly. When in a closed position, the anvil member holds a portion of tissue against the cartridge assembly, ejected staples passing through the held tissue. Actuation of the staplers is effected by a lever member. A locking mechanism, when in its locked position, holds the anvil member adjacent to the cartridge assembly allowing closure of the staple to occur. The devices are intended for one hand use.

Claims

1. A palm-size stapler for hand-assisted laparoscopic and open surgery comprising:

a) a chassis member in which at least the following elements are supported;

i) a cartridge assembly for containing at least two rows of staples; and

ii) a slider assembly operative to slidably move along a predetermined path with respect to said cartridge assembly, thereby to provide a predetermined staple ejection force to cause the ejection of staples from said cartridge assembly, said slider assembly including;

at least one staple ejector element aligned with said at least two rows of staples for causing ejection of the staples;

b) an anvil member operable in closed and open positions with respect to said cartridge assembly and when in a closed position said anvil member is spaced from said cartridge assembly so as to hold a portion of tissue to be stapled therebetween and to allow closure of staples ejected into the tissue from said cartridge assembly in response to the predetermined staple ejection force provided by said slider assembly;

c) a lever member mounted to said chassis member pivotably movable with respect to said cartridge assembly and operable by using one hand; and

d) a locking mechanism operable in locked and unlocked positions and in operative association with said anvil member, said locking mechanism being brought to its locked position when said lever member is pressed and brought down, and when said locking mechanism is brought to its locked position said anvil member is brought to and locked in its closed position and held adjacent to said cartridge assembly during subsequent operation,

thereby to allow closure of staples in the portion of the tissue held between said cartridge assembly and said anvil member as said slider assembly advances step-wise incrementally ejecting staples into the tissue with each step.

2. A stapler according to claim 1, further including an incremental drive mechanism operative to engage with and to provide a predetermined driving force to said slider assembly causing an incremental step-wise sliding motion thereof, said incremental drive mechanism allowing for interruption of the operation of said stapler during surgery and allowing for repositioning of the tissue being stapled when said locking mechanism is released by a release mechanism, said release mechanism in operative association with said locking mechanism, said anvil member being brought to its open position from its closed position after release of said locking mechanism.

3. A stapler according to claim 2, wherein said anvil member is connected rigidly to an anvil frame thereby to form therewith an extended substantially rigid compound anvil member, wherein said compound anvil member extends from an axis pin positioned near the proximal end of said stapler to the distal end of said anvil member, and said compound anvil member is hingedly mounted on said axis pin.

4. A stapler according to claim 3, wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a pusher pin, a locking link and an anvil locking element, said locking link in operational engagement with said compound anvil member allowing scissor-like motion therebetween, and said pusher pin positioned on said lever member, said pusher pin moving downward in a direction generally toward said slider assembly when said lever member is depressed, and moving upward in a direction generally away from said slider assembly when the said lever is released, and wherein said pusher pin is operative, when moving downward, to push said locking link against said anvil locking element so as to become engaged therewith and so as to hold said anvil member in said closed position after depression of said lever member until activation of said release mechanism.

5. A stapler according to claim 4, wherein said incremental drive mechanism is a pusher-ratchet mechanism that comprises a.) a pusher positioned obliquely to said ratchet mechanism and b.) a ratchet mechanism, wherein said ratchet mechanism is formed as part of said slider assembly, and said pusher is mounted for pivoting about an axis extending substantially transversally therethough and also extending substantially through said pusher pin.

6. A stapler according to claim 5, wherein said pusher is operatively associated with a slidable tooth rack so as to incrementally move said slider assembly of said stapler along a predetermined path in a stepped fashion.

7. A stapler according to claim 1, wherein said cartridge assembly is configured to hold a cartridge of staples, and said anvil member has proximal and distal surfaces with respect to said cartridge assembly, said proximal surface having therein a plurality of recesses formed to be in registration with the staples in said cartridge in said cartridge assembly, and configured to retain the plurality of staples in a planar arrangement during and subsequent to crimping of the staples.

8. A stapler according to claim 1, further including a blade element attached to said slider assembly, operative to advance in incremental steps corresponding to the advance of said slider assembly in incremental steps, thereby to incrementally cut through the tissue held between said anvil member and said cartridge assembly in accordance with the advance of said slider assembly.

9. A stapler according to claim 1, wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a pusher pin, a locking link and an anvil locking element, said locking link in operational engagement with said anvil member allowing scissor-like motion therebetween, and said pusher pin positioned on said lever member, said pusher pin moving downward in a direction generally toward said slider assembly when said lever member is depressed, and moving upward in a direction generally away from said slider assembly when the said lever is released, and wherein said pusher pin is operative, when moving downward, to push said locking link against said anvil locking element so as to become engaged therewith and so as to hold said anvil member in said closed position after depression of said lever member until activation of a release mechanism which is in operational communication with said anvil locking element and which operates to release said locking mechanism bringing it from its locked to its unlocked position.

10. A stapler according to claim 2, wherein said incremental drive mechanism is a pusher-ratchet mechanism that comprises a.) a pusher positioned obliquely to said ratchet mechanism and b.) a ratchet mechanism, wherein said ratchet mechanism is formed as part of said slider assembly, and said pusher is mounted for pivoting about an axis extending substantially transversally therethough and also extending substantially through a pusher pin positioned on said lever member.

11. A palm-size stapler for hand-assisted laparoscopic and open surgery comprising:

a) a chassis member in which at least the following elements are supported;

i) a cartridge assembly for containing at least two rows of staples; and

ii) a slider assembly operative to slidably move along a predetermined path with respect to said cartridge assembly, thereby to provide a predetermined staple ejection force to cause the ejection of staples from said cartridge assembly, said slider assembly including;

at least one staple ejector element aligned with said at least two rows of staples for causing ejection of the staples;

b) a lever member mounted to said chassis member pivotably movable with respect to said cartridge assembly and operable by using one hand;

c) an anvil member operable in closed and open positions with respect to said cartridge assembly and when in closed position said anvil member is spaced from said cartridge assembly so as to hold a portion of tissue being stapled therebetween, and to allow closure of staples ejected into the tissue from said cartridge assembly in response to the predetermined staple ejection force provided by said slider assembly; and

d) an incremental drive mechanism in operational association with said slider assembly, said drive mechanism operative to engage with and to provide a predetermined driving force to said slider assembly causing an incremental step-wise sliding motion thereof, said incremental drive mechanism also allowing for interruption of the operation of said device during surgery and allowing repositioning of the portion of tissue being stapled.

12. A stapler according to claim 11, further including a locking mechanism operable in locked and unlocked positions and in operative association with said anvil member, said locking mechanism brought to its locked position when said lever member is pressed and brought down, and when said locking mechanism is brought to its locked position said anvil member is brought to its closed position and held adjacent to said cartridge assembly during subsequent stapler operation until a release mechanism in operative association with said locking mechanism is activated unlocking said locking mechanism thereby allowing said anvil member to pivot away from said cartridge assembly.

13. A stapler according to claim 12, wherein said anvil member is connected rigidly to an anvil frame thereby to form therewith an extended substantially rigid compound anvil member, wherein said compound anvil member extends from an axis pin positioned near the proximal end of said stapler to the distal end of said anvil member, and said compound anvil member is hingedly mounted on said axis pin.

14. A stapler according to claim 13, wherein said locking mechanism further comprises a pusher pin, a locking link and an anvil locking element, said locking link in operational engagement with said compound anvil member allowing scissor-like motion therebetween, and said pusher pin positioned on said lever member, said pusher pin moving downward in a direction generally toward said slider assembly when said lever member is depressed, and moving upward in a direction generally away from said slider assembly when said lever is released, and wherein said pusher pin is operative when moving downward to push said locking link against said anvil locking element so as to become engaged therewith and so as to hold said anvil member in said closed position after depression of said lever member until activation of said release mechanism which operates to release said locking mechanism bringing it from its locked to its unlocked position.

15. A stapler according to claim 14, wherein said incremental drive mechanism is a pusher-ratchet mechanism that comprises a.) a pusher positioned obliquely to said ratchet mechanism and b.) a ratchet mechanism, wherein said ratchet mechanism is formed as part of said slider assembly, and said pusher is mounted for pivoting about an axis extending substantially transversally therethough and also extending substantially through said pusher pin.

16. A stapler according to claim 15, wherein said pusher is operatively associated with a slidable tooth rack so as to incrementally move said slider assembly of said stapler along a predetermined path in a stepped fashion.

17. A stapler according to claim 11, wherein said cartridge assembly is configured to hold a cartridge of staples, and said anvil member has proximal and distal surfaces with respect to said cartridge assembly, said proximal surface having therein a plurality of recesses formed to be in registration with the staples in said cartridge in said cartridge assembly, and configured to retain the plurality of staples in a planar arrangement during and subsequent to crimping of the staples.

18. A stapler according to claim 11, further including a blade element attached to said slider assembly, operative to advance in incremental steps corresponding to the advance of said slider assembly in incremental steps, thereby to incrementally cut through the tissue held between said anvil member and said cartridge assembly in accordance with the advance of said slider assembly.

19. A stapler according to claim 11, wherein said incremental drive mechanism is a pusher-ratchet mechanism that comprises a.) a pusher positioned obliquely to said ratchet mechanism and b.) a ratchet mechanism, wherein said ratchet mechanism is formed as part of said slider assembly, and said pusher is mounted for pivoting about an axis extending substantially transversally therethrough and also extending substantially through a pusher pin positioned on said lever member.

20. A stapler according to claim 11, further including a locking mechanism which comprises a pusher pin, a locking link and an anvil locking element, said locking link in operational engagement with said anvil member allowing scissor-like motion therebetween, and said pusher pin positioned on said lever member, said pusher pin moving downward in a direction generally toward said slider assembly when said lever member is depressed, and moving upward in a direction generally away from said slider assembly when said lever is released, and wherein said pusher pin is operative when moving downward to push said locking link against said anvil locking element so as to become engaged therewith and so as to hold said anvil member in said closed position after depression of said lever member until activation of a release mechanism which is in operational communication with said anvil locking element and which operates to release said locking mechanism bringing it from its locked to its unlocked position.