Surgical stapler with a bendable end effector

• US 20070114261A1
• Filed: 11/23/2005
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Mark, Stokes, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,651,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.100
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 curved

Abstract

A surgical stapler having a selectively bendable end effector is provided. A staple holding jaw of the end effector is coupled to another jaw for grasping tissue to be stapled. The stapler can adapted to drive staples into tissue having a pattern conforming with the selected shape of the end effector. In particular, the end effector can be adapted to drive staples in a linear pattern when the end effector orients staples in a substantially linear configuration. The end effector can also be adapted to drive staples in a non linear pattern when the end effector orients staples in a non linear configuration. Methods of stapling tissue with a stapler having a bendable end effector are also discussed.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler, comprising:

an elongate housing having a handle portion; and

a selectively bendable end effector coupled to the distal end of the housing, the end effector including a first jaw having a supply of staples and a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, the end effector having a selected shape and adapted to drive staples through tissue grasped between the jaws in a pattern conforming to the selected shape.

2. The surgical stapler of claim 1, wherein the end effector is adapted to drive staples in a linear pattern when the selected shape of the end effector is in a substantially linear configuration, and in a non-linear pattern when the selected shape of the end effector is in a substantially non-linear configuration.

3. The surgical stapler of claim 1, wherein the end effector is adapted to be more flexible in at least one direction relative to another direction.

4. The surgical stapler of claim 1, wherein the end effector includes an elastic material effective to bias the end effector to a predetermined shape.

5. The surgical stapler of claim 4, wherein the predetermined shape is a linear configuration.

6. The surgical stapler of claim 1, wherein the end effector is adapted to be selectively bendable in at least one plane.

7. The surgical stapler of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one jaw flexing member coupled to a distal portion of the end effector and the handle portion, and adapted to bend the end effector when the at least one jaw flexing member is in tension.

8. The surgical stapler of claim 7, further comprising:

at least two jaw flexing members, a distal portion of each jaw of the end effector coupled to one jaw flexing member.

9. The surgical stapler of claim 7, further comprising:

at least one flexing guide coupled to the end effector for holding the at least one jaw flexing member adjacent to the end effector.

10. The surgical stapler of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one distal rigidizing element adapted to be removably coupled to a distal end of each jaw of the end effector, and effective to prevent bending of a distal portion of each jaw.

11. The surgical stapler of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one driver element movably disposed within at least a portion of the elongate housing and adapted to move along the selected shape of the end effector to deploy staples therefrom.

12. The surgical stapler of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one staple closing element movably disposed within at least a portion of the elongate housing, and adapted move along the selected shape of the end effector to deform staples.

13. The surgical stapler of claim 1, further comprising:

a blade element movably disposed within at least a portion of the elongate housing, and adapted to move along at least a portion of the end effector for cutting stapled tissue.

14. A surgical stapler, comprising:

a handle;

an elongate connector coupled to the housing at a proximal end of the connector;

two jaws coupled to the distal end of the connector, the jaws movably coupled together for grasping tissue to be stapled, at least one jaw adapted to carry a supply of staples, each jaw being independently bendable into a selected shape.

15. The surgical stapler of claim 14, wherein the jaws are adapted to fit in an access port when having a linear configuration, and to be bendable when emerging from the access port.

16. The surgical stapler of claim 14, wherein at least one jaw includes a staple holding cartridge that is selectively bendable into the selected shape.

17. A surgical staple supply, comprising:

a selectively bendable base adapted to conform to a shape of a jaw of a surgical stapler; and

a plurality of deformable teeth extending from the base, the teeth being adapted to pierce tissue.

18. The surgical staple supply of claim 17, wherein the base is adapted to have elasticity for biasing the base into a predetermined configuration.

19. A method for stapling tissue, comprising:

conforming the jaws of an end effector of a surgical stapler into a selected shape, one jaw having a plurality of staples disposed therein;

approximating the jaws to dispose tissue therebetween;

driving staples from the one jaw into the tissue; and

deforming the driven staples to effect closure of the staples on the tissue.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the staples are deployed in the tissue to form a selected non linear pattern.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of conforming the jaws includes conforming each jaw of the end effector in a desired shape.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the staples are deformed by bending teeth of the driven staples.