SURGICAL STAPLING APPARATUS

• US 20100243707A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• 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 8,016,178 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 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

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. 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;

a surgical buttress releasably secured to a tissue contacting surface of at least one of the anvil plate and the staple cartridge by an anchor, at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly includes a constricting, open-ended, slot configured to grip an end of the anchor;

a release assembly associated with the at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly; and

a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly from a proximal position to a distal position, the drive assembly actuating the release assembly to push the end of the anchor out of the slot and to free the surgical buttress from the at least one of the anvil assembly and cartridge assembly.

2. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly define a side slot for receiving an end of the at least one anchor therein.

3. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release assembly has a first bar and a second bar, the drive assembly actuating the first bar, the first bar moving the second bar into the slot.

4. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly include a release assembly.

5. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly define a side slot for receiving the anchor of each surgical buttress.

6. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release assembly includes a pusher that is in operative association with the slot, the pusher being actuatable to push the end of the anchor out of the slot.

7. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the drive assembly includes a distally advancing drive member and the release assembly is actuatable by the drive member.

8. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the staple cartridge and the anvil assembly include a longitudinally extending slot and the drive member advances through the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly and through the longitudinally extending slot.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pusher of the release assembly is pivotally connected to the at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly.

10. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pusher of the release assembly is slidably supported in the at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly.

11. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anchor is a suture engaging the surgical buttress and the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.

12. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the anchor is an extension of the surgical buttress and engages the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.

13. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pusher is pivotably mounted in the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.

14. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pusher includes a first leg member pivotably connected to a second leg member.

15. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pusher has a piston slidably mounted in an elongate recess in the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.

16. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the pusher has a free end and is mounted in the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly so that the free end faces the slot.

17. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the release assembly includes a head portion having an angled surface.

18. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the head portion is mounted in the at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly so that the angled surface faces the slot.