SURGICAL STAPLING APPARATUS

• US 20100072254A1
• Filed: 12/01/2009
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Aranyi, Ernie, Olson, Lee, Mozdzierz, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 8,371,492 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.100
• 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 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter

Abstract

A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly that are movable in relation to one another; a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly, wherein each surgical buttress is secured to the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly by at least one anchor; a release assembly associated with the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly; and a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly between proximal and distal positions, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor to free the surgical buttress from the anvil assembly and/or the cartridge assembly.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a handle supported by the housing;

an elongated body extending distally from the housing;

a tool assembly at the distal end of the elongated body, the tool assembly having a cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge having a plurality of surgical fasteners therein, and an anvil assembly, at least one of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly being movable in relation to the other of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly, wherein the anvil assembly includes an anvil plate, and wherein each of the anvil plate and the staple cartridge define an elongate longitudinal slot; and

a surgical buttress disposed on a tissue contacting surface of a selected one of the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge, wherein the surgical buttress is secured to the selected one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly by a suture disposed in a retention slot defined in the tissue contacting surface of the selected one of the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge, the suture passing transversely across the surgical buttress.

22. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a release assembly that grips the suture prior to an actuation of a drive assembly movable in the longitudinal slot.

23. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the retention slot cinches the suture therein.

24. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 22, further comprising a release assembly including:

a first bar extending across the longitudinal slot prior to an actuation of a drive assembly, the drive assembly being movable in the longitudinal slot; and

a second bar, connected to and actuatable by the first bar, having an end extending at least partially into the retention slot, prior to an actuation of the drive assembly.

25. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 24, wherein as the drive assembly is advanced to a distal position, the drive assembly actuates the first bar of the release assembly which in turn actuates the second bar of the release assembly to release the suture disposed within the retention slot.

26. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly include a release assembly.

27. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 26, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly define a retention slot, the suture comprising a plurality of sutures including a first suture in a retention slot of the anvil assembly and a second suture in a retention slot of the cartridge assembly.

28. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 27, wherein each release assembly includes:

a first bar extending across the longitudinal slot prior to an actuation of a drive assembly; and

a second bar, connected to and actuatable by the first bar, having an end extending at least partially into the retention slot, prior to an actuation of the drive assembly, wherein as the drive assembly is advanced to the distal position, the drive assembly actuates the first bar of each release assembly which in turn actuates the second bar of each release assembly to release the suture disposed within the retention slot.

29. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly includes a constricting, open-ended, side slot configured to grip an end of the suture, and further comprising a release assembly to push the end of the suture out of the retention slot.

30. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the suture extends across at least a portion of the surgical buttress.

31. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the surgical buttress defines a notch that is open at a lateral side of the surgical buttress, the suture extending into the notch.

32. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 31, wherein the surgical buttress is disposed on the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge and the retention slot defines a notch that is open at a lateral side of the staple cartridge, the suture extending from the notch of the surgical buttress into the notch of the staple cartridge.

33. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 32, further comprising a second surgical buttress is disposed on a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly.

34. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the retention slot comprises a hole in the tissue contacting surface of the selected one of the anvil assembly and staple cartridge.

35. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the surgical buttress is disposed on the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge and further comprising a second surgical buttress disposed on a tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly.

36. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, further comprising a housing portion removably couplable to the elongated body of the surgical stapling apparatus, the surgical buttress comprising a first surgical buttress disposed on the staple cartridge and further comprising a second surgical buttress disposed on the anvil assembly, the first surgical buttress being pre-loaded on the staple cartridge and the second surgical buttress being pre-loaded on the anvil assembly.

37. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the suture is incorporated in the surgical buttress.

38. A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the loading unit comprising:

a tool assembly having a cartridge assembly including a cartridge having a plurality of surgical fasteners therein, and an anvil assembly, at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the other of the cartridge assembly and anvil assembly, wherein the anvil assembly includes an anvil plate and, wherein each of the anvil plate and the staple cartridge define an elongate longitudinal slot;

a surgical buttress disposed on a tissue contacting surface of at least one of the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge, wherein the surgical buttress is secured to the selected one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly by a suture disposed in a retention slot defined in the tissue contacting surface of the selected one of the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge, the suture passing transversely across the surgical buttress.

39. The loading unit according to claim 38, further comprising a release assembly that grips the suture prior to an actuation of a drive assembly movable in the longitudinal slot.

40. The loading unit according to claim 38, wherein the retention slot cinches the suture therein.

41. The loading unit according to claim 39, further comprising a release assembly including:

a first bar extending across the longitudinal slot prior to an actuation of a drive assembly, the drive assembly being movable in the longitudinal slot; and

a second bar, connected to and actuatable by the first bar, having an end extending at least partially into the retention slot, prior to an actuation of the drive assembly.

42. The loading unit according to claim 41, wherein as the drive assembly is advanced to a distal position, the drive assembly actuates the first bar of the release assembly which in turn actuates the second bar of the release assembly to release the suture disposed within the retention slot.

43. The loading unit according to claim 38, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly include a release assembly.

44. The loading unit according to claim 43, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly define a retention slot, the suture comprising a plurality of sutures including a first suture in a retention slot of the anvil assembly and a second suture in a retention slot of the cartridge assembly.

45. The loading unit according to claim 43, wherein each release assembly includes:

a first bar extending across the longitudinal slot prior to an actuation of a drive assembly; and

a second bar, connected to and actuatable by the first bar, having an end extending at least partially into the retention slot, prior to an actuation of the drive assembly, wherein as the drive assembly is advanced to the distal position, the drive assembly actuates the first bar of each release assembly which in turn actuates the second bar of each release assembly to release the suture disposed within the retention slot.

46. The loading unit according to claim 38, wherein at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly includes a constricting, open-ended, side slot configured to grip an end of the suture, and further comprising a release assembly to push the end of the suture out of the retention slot.

47. The loading unit according to claim 38, further comprising a housing portion removably couplable to an elongated body of the surgical stapling apparatus, the surgical buttress comprising a first surgical buttress disposed on the staple cartridge and further comprising a second surgical buttress disposed on the anvil assembly, the first surgical buttress being pre-loaded on the staple cartridge and the second surgical buttress being pre-loaded on the anvil assembly.

48. The loading unit according to claim 38, wherein the suture is incorporated in the surgical buttress.