SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGES WITH DETACHABLE SUPPORT STRUCTURES AND SURGICAL STAPLING INSTRUMENTS WITH SYSTEMS FOR PREVENTING ACTUATION MOTIONS WHEN A CARTRIDGE IS NOT PRESENT

• US 20120080478A1
• Filed: 09/30/2010
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Morgan, Jerome R., Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Application Number:
  US12/894,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20120080478A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.4
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00064 Constructional details of the endoscope body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0051 with controlled bending of insertion part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/008 Articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0642 for bones, e.g. for osteosynthesis or connecting tendon to bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0643 with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• 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 17/08 Wound clamps or clips, i.e. not or only partly penetrating the tissue suture bridges A61B17/0466; Devices for bringing together the edges of a wound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/2909 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/295 combined with cutting implements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00314 : Separate linked members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00323 : Cables or rods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00327 : with actuating members moving in opposite directions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 : Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0053 : Loading magazines or sutures into applying tools
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00884 : enhancing wound closure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00946 : malleable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 : Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 : curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 : Arrangement of the staples
• 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 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2902 : characterized by features of the actuating rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 : flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2908 : Multiple segments connected by articulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/291 : the position of the handle being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2919 : details of linkages or pivot points
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/292 : connection of actuating rod to handle, e.g. ball end in recess
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 : the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 : with releasable head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 : camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2936 : Pins in guiding slots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 : Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/92 : coded with colour
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49863 : with prestressing of part

Abstract

Surgical staple cartridges and end effectors for surgical stapling instruments. In various embodiments, a cartridge support member is coupled to a portion of an implantable staple cartridge body. The cartridge support member is configured to be removably coupled to an elongated channel portion of a surgical instrument. When the stapling process has been completed, the implantable cartridge body remains stapled to the tissue and is separated from the cartridge support member which remains affixed to the elongated channel to provide the surgeon with an indication that no cartridge is present within the elongated channel. In other embodiments, a closure lockout arrangement is provided to prevent the advancement of a closure member to a fully fired position when a staple cartridge is not present within the end effector.

Claims

1. A surgical staple cartridge comprising:

a compressible cartridge body supporting a plurality of unformed staples therein; and

a cartridge support member coupled to said compressible cartridge body, said cartridge support member configured for removable attachment to a portion of an end effector of a surgical staple instrument such that after said unformed staples in said cartridge body are formed, said cartridge body and staples are removable from the end effector without detaching the cartridge support member therefrom.

2. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of said cartridge support member is implanted within said cartridge body.

3. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein said unformed staples in said cartridge body are arranged in at least one elongated staple line within said cartridge body and wherein said cartridge support member has at least one support ridge thereon that is substantially coextensive with said at least one elongated staple line.

4. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 3 wherein said unformed staples in said cartridge body are arranged in at least two elongated staple lines within said cartridge body and wherein said at least one support ridge extends between said at least two elongated staple lines.

5. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 further comprising an elongated slot extending through a portion of said cartridge body.

6. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 wherein said unformed staples are arranged in two pairs of staple lines on each lateral side of said elongated slot and wherein said cartridge support member has a support ridge thereon that corresponds to each said pair of staples lines and extends therebetween.

7. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein said cartridge support member has a color that is different from a color of said staple cartridge body and from a color of said end effector portion to which it is attached.

8. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 4 wherein at least one said support ridge has an upstanding fin protruding therefrom.

9. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 8 wherein said cartridge body has a body thickness and wherein said cartridge support member, said support ridge and a corresponding upstanding fin protruding from said support ridge has a total height that is less than said body thickness of said cartridge body.

10. The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 wherein said cartridge body is fabricated from an implantable hemostat material.

11. An end effector for use in connection with a surgical instrument, said end effector comprising:

an elongated channel couplable to a portion of the surgical instrument;

a staple cartridge comprising;

a compressible cartridge body supporting a plurality of unformed staples therein; and

a cartridge support member coupled to said compressible cartridge body and being removably couplable to said elongated channel and wherein said end effector further comprises an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel and having a staple forming surface thereon, said anvil configured to move from an open position wherein said staple forming surface is spaced from said staple cartridge into closed positions wherein said anvil is moved into compressing contact with said staple cartridge in response to firing motions applied thereto by the surgical instrument to form said unformed staples in said cartridge body.

12. The end effector of claim 11 wherein said elongated channel has a first color and wherein said cartridge body has a second color and wherein said cartridge support member has a third color that differs from the first and second colors.

13. The end effector of claim 11 wherein the surgical instrument has an axially movable closure member configured to apply said firing motions to said anvil and wherein said end effector further comprises a closure lockout member configured to prevent said axially movable closure member from moving to a completely fired position relative to said anvil when said staple cartridge is not present within said elongated channel.

14. The end effector of claim 11 wherein said cartridge support member is removably implanted in said cartridge body.

15. The end effector of claim 11 wherein said unformed staples in said cartridge body are arranged in at least one elongated staple line within said cartridge body and wherein said cartridge support member has at least one support ridge thereon that is substantially coextensive with said at least one elongated staple line.

16. The end effector of claim 15 wherein said unformed staples in said cartridge body are arranged in at least two elongated staple lines within said cartridge body and wherein said at least one support ridge extends between said at least two elongated staple lines.

17. The end effector of claim 11 wherein said cartridge support member has a pair of upwardly extending support fins corresponding to each lateral side of said cartridge body.

18. An end effector for attachment to a surgical instrument that has a movable closure member supported thereon for transmitting closure forces to the end effector, said end effector comprising:

an elongated channel coupled to a portion of said surgical instrument for removably supporting a surgical staple cartridge therein;

an anvil movably supported relative to said elongated channel and being movable from an open position to closed positions relative to said elongated channel upon applications of closure motions thereto by the movable closure member; and

a closure lockout operably supported within said elongated channel and movable from an unlocked position when a staple cartridge is supported in said elongated channel to a locked position when no staple cartridge is supported in said elongated channel, said closure lockout configured to interact with said closure member to prevent application of at least some of said closure motions to said anvil when said closure lockout is in said locked position.

19. The end effector of claim 18 wherein said closure lockout has a biasing member for biasing said closure lockout to said locked position when said staple cartridge has been removed from said elongated channel.

20. The end effector of claim 18 wherein the surgical instrument has a tissue cutting member configured to axially move through a staple cartridge within said elongated channel and wherein said closure lockout prevents the tissue cutting member from axially advancing through said elongated channel when said closure lockout is in said locked position.