Surgical Stapling Device For Performing Circular Anastomosis And Surgical Staples For Use Therewith

• US 20120080492A1
• Filed: 08/11/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Scirica, Paul, Racenet, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,750,502 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an anvil assembly, an end effector and/or a surgical stapler suitable for performing curved or circular anastomosis and/or treatment to internal walls of hollow tissue organs wherein the anvil assembly includes an anvil center rod having a proximal end and a distal end, the center rod defining a central longitudinal axis; and an anvil head secured to the distal end of the anvil center rod. The anvil head includes an anvil plate defining a tissue contact surface; and a plurality of staple forming pockets formed in the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate, wherein each of the plurality of staple pockets defines an arcuate longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler, comprising:

a handle assembly including a stationary handle, an approximation mechanism, and a firing trigger for firing a plurality of surgical fasteners; and

an end effector supported on a distal end of the handle assembly, the end effector comprising;

an anvil assembly, comprising;

an anvil center rod having a proximal end configured for selective connection to the approximation mechanism and a distal end, the center rod defining a central longitudinal axis; and

an anvil head secured to the distal end of the anvil center rod, the anvil head including;

an anvil plate defining a tissue contact surface; and

a plurality of staple forming pockets formed in the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate, wherein each of the plurality of staple pockets has a curved length; and

a staple cartridge assembly defining a plurality of staple retaining slots corresponding to a number of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly, the staple cartridge assembly comprising a plurality of surgical staples supported therein in a spaced relation to each other.

2. The surgical stapler according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly has a curved length.

3. The surgical stapler according to claim 2, wherein each staple forming pocket of the anvil assembly has a radius of curvature extending from the central longitudinal axis of the center rod.

4. The surgical stapler according to claim 3, wherein each staple retaining slot of the staple cartridge assembly has a radius of curvature extending from a central longitudinal axis of the surgical stapler.

5. The surgical stapler according to claim 4, wherein the anvil assembly is circular and defines a plurality of annular rows of staple forming pockets, and the cartridge assembly is circular and defines a plurality of annular rows of staple retaining slots.

6. The surgical stapler according to claim 5, wherein each annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly includes an equal number of staple forming pockets.

7. The surgical stapler according to claim 5, wherein each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly includes an equal number of staple retaining slots.

8. The surgical stapler according to claim 7, wherein a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in each annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal for every annular row of staple forming pockets.

9. The surgical stapler according to claim 8, wherein a distance between adjacent staple retaining clots in each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal for every annular row of staple forming pockets.

10. The surgical stapler according to claim 9, wherein a length of each staple forming pocket of a relatively inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is relatively shorter than a length of each staple forming pocket of a relatively outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

11. The surgical stapler according to claim 10, wherein a length of each staple retaining slot of a relatively inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively shorter than a length of each staple retaining slot of a relatively outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

12. The surgical stapler according to claim 11, wherein the anvil plate of the anvil assembly defines at least two annular rows of staple forming pockets.

13. The surgical stapler according to claim 12, wherein the staple cartridge assembly defines at least two annular rows of staple retaining slots.

14. The surgical stapler according to claim 13, wherein the anvil plate of the anvil assembly defines an inner annular row of staple forming pocket, a middle annular row of staple forming pockets and an outer annular row of staple forming pockets.

15. The surgical stapler according to claim 14, wherein the staple cartridge assembly defines an inner annular row of staple retaining slots, a middle annular row of staple retaining slots and an outer annular row of staple retaining slots.

16. The surgical stapler according to claim 15, wherein a length of each staple forming pocket of the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is relatively longer than a length of each staple forming pocket of the inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

17. The surgical stapler according to claim 16, wherein a length of each staple forming pocket of the outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is relatively longer than a length of each staple forming pocket of the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

18. The surgical stapler according to claim 17, wherein a length of each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than a length of each staple retaining slot of the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

19. The surgical stapler according to claim 18, wherein a length of each staple retaining slot of the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than a length of each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

20. The surgical stapler according to claim 19, wherein a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

21. The surgical stapler according to claim 20, wherein a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

22. The surgical stapler according to claim 21, wherein a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

23. The surgical stapler according to claim 20, wherein a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

24. The surgical stapler according to claim 20, wherein the staple forming pockets of at least two adjacent annular rows of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly are nested with one another.

25. The surgical stapler according to claim 19, wherein each staple retaining slot of each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge is loaded with a surgical staple having a backspan with an appropriate length that corresponds to the length of the staple retaining slot.

26. The surgical stapler according to claim 25, wherein each staple retaining slot of each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge is loaded with a surgical staple having a backspan with an appropriate length that corresponds to the length of the staple retaining slot.

27. The surgical stapler according to claim 26, wherein a length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than a length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

28. The surgical stapler according to claim 27, wherein a length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than a length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

29. The surgical stapler according to claim 28, wherein each surgical staple includes a backspan and a leg depending from each opposed end of the backspan, wherein the legs define a plane, and wherein the backspan is arcuate and projects in a direction out of the plane defined by the legs of the surgical staple.