Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staple sizes

• US 20070034667A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Heinrich, Russell, Viola, Frank, Beardsley, John, Holsten, Henry, Emmons, Clifford
• Granted Patent: US 7,401,721 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• 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 17/072 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 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a body portion having first and second walls; and

a tissue contacting surface having a horizontal plane extending therethrough, the horizontal plane being substantially transverse to a vertical axis extending through the body portion, wherein the tissue contacting surface and a point on the horizontal plane define a gap therebetween, the gap varying as the measuring point is moved transversely with respect to the vertical axis.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the tissue contacting surface includes first and second portions.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 2, wherein movement of the measuring point from a centerline of the body portion towards the first wall defines an increasing gap.

4. The staple cartridge of claim 3, further including a knife disposed along the centerline.

5. A staple cartridge for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

an inner wall and an outer wall, the inner wall having a height not equal to a height of the outer wall;

a first surface having a first side, a second side, a first plurality of retention slots, and a planar axis, the planar axis defining a right angle with respect to the inner wall;

a second surface having a first side, a second side, and a second plurality of retention slots, the first side of the second surface being connected to the second side of the first surface and the second side of the second surface being connected to a top edge of the outer wall defining an arcuate path along the second surface between the inner and outer walls; and

a first and a second plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said first and second pluralities of retention slots, respectively, said first and second pluralities of surgical fasteners including a backspan and a pair of legs, said first plurality of surgical fasteners having a first leg length, said second plurality of surgical fasteners having a second leg length, and said second leg length being different than said first leg length.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 5, wherein said backspan for said surgical fasteners disposed in said first plurality of retention slots is substantially parallel to said planar axis of said first surface.

7. The staple cartridge of claim 5, further including a third plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in a third plurality of retention slots, said third plurality of surgical fasteners having a third leg length that is different than the first leg length.

8. A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a staple cartridge for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising;

a first surface having a first plurality of retention slots and a first planar axis, said first surface including first and second sides;

a second surface having a first side, a second side, and a second plurality of retention slots, the first side of the second surface being connected to the second side of the first surface and the second side of the second surface being connected to a top edge of the outer wall defining an arcuate path along the second surface between the inner and outer walls;

a first and a second plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said first and second pluralities of retention slots, respectively, said first and second pluralities of surgical fasteners including a backspan and a pair of legs, said first plurality of surgical fasteners having a first leg length, said second plurality of surgical fasteners having a second leg length, and said second leg length being different than said first leg length; and

an anvil member positionable with respect to said staple cartridge and defining a plurality of different gaps disposed between said anvil and said staple cartridge such that when said anvil member is proximate to said staple cartridge, a first gap between said first surface of said staple cartridge and said anvil is less than a second gap between said second surface of said staple cartridge and said anvil.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the anvil member includes a planar tissue contacting surface.

10. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the anvil member includes a plurality of surfaces, the plurality of surfaces including a planar surface and at least one arcuate surface, the planar surface having a width dimension at least equal to a width dimension of the first surface of the staple cartridge and the at least one arcuate surface having curvature corresponding to the curvature of the second surface of the staple cartridge.

11. A staple cartridge for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a vertical member;

a first planar surface having a plurality of retention slots and a first planar axis, said first planar surface including a first side attached to said vertical member;

a second planar surface having a plurality of openings and a second planar axis, said second planar surface including first and second sides, the first side being flexibly attached to said vertical member and defining an orthogonal angle therebetween in a first position, the second planar surface spaced apart from said first planar surface defining a gap therebetween, wherein movement of the second side of said second planar surface towards the first planar surface flexes said second planar surface; and

a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in said first plurality of retention slots, said plurality of surgical fasteners including a backspan and a pair of legs.

12. The staple cartridge of claim 11, wherein the second planar surface defines a curvate surface as it moves from the first position to a second position.

13. The staple cartridge of claim 11, wherein the plurality of surgical fasteners are disposed in a plurality of rows such that surgical fasteners disposed in a first row have a first leg length, surgical fasteners disposed in a second row have a second leg length, and said second leg length being different than said first leg length.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 13, further including a third row of surgical fasteners that have a leg length not equal to the first or second leg lengths.

15. A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

an anvil member having a first tissue contacting surface; and

a body portion having a first wall, a second wall, and a second tissue contacting surface, wherein the first tissue contacting surface and the second tissue contacting surface define a gap therebetween and the gap varies along a horizontal plane defined by at least one of the first or second tissue contacting surfaces.

16. The staple cartridge of claim 15, wherein the second tissue contacting surface includes first and second portions.

17. The staple cartridge of claim 16, wherein the gap at a centerline of the body portion is less than the gap at the first wall.

18. The staple cartridge of claim 17, further including a knife disposed along the centerline.