Surgical fastener applying apparatus

• US 20080116244A1
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Published: 05/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ehrenfels, Karl, Viola, Frank, Pedros, Roberto, Ivanko, David, Lehn, Randolph, Rethy, Csaba
• Granted Patent: US 7,942,300 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/038 during shipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to surgical fastener applying apparatus for sequentially applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue. The surgical fastener applying apparatus includes a replaceable cartridge assembly receivable in a distal end portion of a cartridge receiving half-section, the cartridge assembly including a safety lockout pivotably disposed along the upper surface of the cartridge assembly and movable from an unlocked orientation permitting assembly of an anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving half-section, to a locked orientation preventing assembly of the anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving-half section.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

an anvil half-section having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion including an anvil which defines a fastener forming surface against which surgical fasteners are driven; and

a cartridge receiving half-section having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, the cartridge receiving half-section being configured and adapted to releasably mate with the anvil half-section, the surgical fastener applying apparatus having an assembled configuration wherein the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section are positioned in juxtaposed alignment with each other, the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section being relatively movable from an unclamped position to a fully clamped position to clamp tissue therebetween, the cartridge receiving half-section including a pivotable clamping lever, wherein movement of the clamping lever from a first position to a second position moves the cartridge receiving and anvil half-sections to the fully clamped position;

wherein the clamping lever includes a body portion having a pair of juxtaposed hinge plates each defining a reinforced access channel formed therein for receiving a respective mounting boss extending laterally from either side of the anvil half-section.

3. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein each reinforced access channel comprises a folded over portion of the hinge plate.

4. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein the reinforced access channel is generally L-shaped.

5. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein the anvil half-section includes a pair of mounting bosses extending from opposed sides thereof, wherein the mounting bosses are located near a mid-point of the anvil half-section, wherein each mounting boss is selectively receivable in a respective access channel of the clamping lever when the clamping lever is in the first position.

6. The surgical stapler according to claim 5, wherein movement of the clamping lever from the first position to the second position, when the mounting bosses are disposed within the respective access channels, results in approximation of the anvil half-section and cartridge receiving half-section.

7. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a firing slide operatively associated with the cartridge receiving half-section, the firing slide including a firing lever coupled thereto, wherein the firing lever enables the surgical fastener applying apparatus to be fired from either side thereof.

8. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 2, further including a replaceable cartridge assembly receivable in the distal end portion of the cartridge receiving half-section, the cartridge assembly having an upper surface and a plurality of surgical staples abutting surgical staple pushers, the surgical staples being ejectable from the cartridge assembly through openings in the upper surface.

9. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cartridge assembly defines at least one slot for receiving at least one knife therein.

10. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the cartridge assembly includes a safety lockout pivotably disposed along the upper surface of cartridge assembly and movable from an unlocked orientation permitting assembly of the anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving half-section to a locked orientation preventing assembly of the anvil half-section to the cartridge receiving-half section.

11. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the cartridge receiving half-section includes a loading and lockout mechanism operatively associated therewith, the loading and lockout mechanism being configured and adapted to facilitate loading of the cartridge assembly to the to the cartridge receiving half-section and to prevent firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus until the cartridge assembly is properly loaded onto cartridge receiving half-section.

12. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the loading and lockout mechanism includes a rocker pivotably mounted to the cartridge receiving half-section, the rocker having a locked-out position which prevents firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus and a firing position which permits firing of the surgical fastener applying apparatus.

13. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 12, wherein when in the locked-out position, the rocker engages a cam bar and prevents displacement of the cam bar in a distal direction and when in the firing position the rocker disengages the cam bar and allows the cam bar to be displaced distally.

14. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a gap adjustment mechanism operatively associated between the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section, wherein the gap adjustment mechanism is configured and adapted to vary the size of a gap between the distal end portions of the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section.

15. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 2, wherein portions of the respective access channels have an external covering.

16. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 15, wherein each external covering extends along substantially an entire length of the respective access channel.