CIRCULAR STAPLING DEVICE INCLUDING BUTTRESS RELEASE MECHANISM

• US 20140252062A1
• Filed: 02/21/2014
• Published: 09/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mozdzierz, Patrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,782,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge

Abstract

A circular stapling device includes a handle assembly, an elongated body, an end effector, and one or more buttress members. The elongated body extends from the handle assembly. The end effector is mounted on a distal end of the elongate body and supports the one or more buttress members. A buttress release mechanism operatively coupled to the end effector selectively secures the one or more buttress members to the end effector.

Claims

1. A circular stapling device, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body that extends from the handle assembly;

a cartridge assembly mounted on a distal end of the elongate body and being movable relative to the distal end of the elongate body between a first position and a second position, the cartridge assembly being positioned adjacent to the distal end of the elongate body in the first position and spaced from the distal end of the elongate body in the second position, the cartridge assembly including a tissue engaging surface that extends to an annular edge; and

a cartridge buttress member having a body portion and an extension portion that extends from the body portion of the cartridge buttress member, wherein when the cartridge assembly is disposed in the first position, the body portion is supported on the tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly and the extension portion extends over the annular edge so that the extension portion is secured between the elongate body and the cartridge assembly to maintain the buttress member supported on the cartridge assembly.

2. The circular stapling device of claim 1, wherein a spring assembly is secured between the cartridge assembly and the distal end of the elongate member, the spring assembly being adapted to pull the cartridge assembly toward the distal end of the elongate member to maintain the cartridge assembly in close approximation with the distal end of the elongate member when the cartridge assembly is disposed in the first position.

3. The circular stapling device of claim 2, wherein the spring assembly includes at least one spring that provides a spring force sufficient to trap the extension portion of the cartridge buttress member between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly when the cartridge assembly is disposed in the first position, the at least one spring permitting movement of the cartridge assembly to release the extension portion of the cartridge buttress member from between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly when the cartridge assembly is moved toward the second position.

4. The circular stapling device of claim 3, wherein the cartridge assembly includes at least one pusher that drives the cartridge assembly toward the second position upon the firing of the circular stapling device and against the spring force of the at least one spring, wherein the cartridge assembly moves to the second position and releases the extension portion of the cartridge buttress member from between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly, and wherein the body portion of the cartridge buttress member separates from the tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly upon the formation of fasteners supported in fastener retaining slots defined in the tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly.

5. The circular stapling device of claim 4, wherein the cartridge assembly further includes a knife assembly, the at least one pusher being operatively coupled to a first driver, the knife assembly being operatively coupled to a second driver, the first and second drivers being separate and independently operable relative to each other.

6. The circular stapling device of claim 1, further comprising an anvil assembly that is selectively movable relative to the cartridge assembly between an approximated position and an unapproximated position.

7. The circular stapling device of claim 6, further comprising an anvil buttress member supported on a tissue engaging surface of the anvil assembly.

8. The circular stapling device of claim 7, wherein the anvil buttress member has a body portion and an extension portion that extends from the body portion thereof, the anvil assembly including a clamping assembly that secures the extension portion of the anvil buttress member to the anvil assembly so that the body portion of the anvil buttress member is supported over a tissue engaging surface of the anvil assembly.

9. The circular stapling device of claim 8, wherein the clamping assembly includes a clamp that is spring loaded to maintain the extension portion of the anvil buttress member secured to the anvil assembly.

10. The circular stapling device of claim 9, further comprising a knife assembly including a knife, the clamp including a lockout assembly that retains the clamp in a locked arrangement to maintain the extension portion of the anvil buttress member secured to the anvil assembly, the knife being movable to position the lockout assembly in an unlocked arrangement so that the spring force from the spring loaded clamp moves the clamp to release the extension portion of the anvil buttress member.

11. A circular stapling device, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate body that extends from the handle assembly;

an end effector mounted on a distal end of the elongate body, the end effector including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly being selectively movable relative to the cartridge assembly between an approximated position and an unapproximated position; and

an anvil buttress member supported on the anvil assembly, the anvil buttress member having a body portion and an extension portion that extends from the body portion, the anvil assembly including a spring loaded clamp that secures the extension portion of the anvil buttress member to the anvil assembly so that the body portion of the anvil buttress member is supported over a tissue engaging surface of the anvil assembly.

12. The circular stapling device of claim 11, further comprising a knife assembly including a knife, the spring loaded clamp including a lockout assembly that retains the spring loaded clamp in a locked arrangement to maintain the extension portion of the anvil buttress member secured to the anvil assembly, the knife being movable to position the lockout assembly in an unlocked arrangement, the spring loaded clamp being configured to release the extension portion of the anvil buttress member when the lockout assembly is disposed in the unlocked arrangement.

13. The circular stapling device of claim 11, wherein the cartridge assembly is movable relative to the distal end of the elongate body between a first position and a second position, the cartridge assembly being positioned adjacent to the distal end of the elongate body in the first position and spaced from the distal end of the elongate body in the second position.

14. The circular stapling device of claim 13, wherein the cartridge assembly supports a cartridge buttress member that is secured between the elongate body and the cartridge assembly when the cartridge assembly is disposed in the first position, wherein a movement of the cartridge assembly to the second position releases the cartridge buttress member from between the elongate body and the cartridge assembly.

15. An anvil assembly, comprising:

an anvil head defining an opening;

an anvil cap including a cap body and a protuberance that extends from the cap body, the protuberance being securable within the opening defined within the anvil head to secure the anvil cap to the anvil head;

a buttress member including a body portion and an extension portion that extends from the body portion, the extension portion being secureable between the anvil cap and the anvil head when the protuberance is positioned within the opening defined within the anvil head.

16. The anvil assembly according to claim 15, wherein the anvil head supports a washer adjacent to the protuberance, the washer being engageable with the protuberance to separate the anvil cap and the anvil head and release the extension portion from between the anvil cap and the anvil head.

17. The anvil assembly according to claim 16, wherein the washer is movable into engagement with the protuberance to separate the anvil cap and the anvil head so that the extension portion releases from between the anvil cap and the anvil head.

18. The anvil assembly according to claim 15, wherein the protuberance is at least one of peened and melted within the opening to prevent the anvil cap from detaching from the anvil head.

19. A method for releasing a cartridge buttress member from a cartridge assembly of a circular stapling device, comprising the steps of:

providing a circular stapling device including an elongate member having a cartridge assembly mounted on a distal end of the elongate body, the cartridge assembly including a cartridge buttress member supported on a tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly and being trapped between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly; and

moving the cartridge assembly relative to elongate member to release the cartridge buttress member from the circular stapling device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:

selectively maintaining an extension portion of the cartridge buttress member sandwiched between a proximal surface of the cartridge assembly and a distal surface of the elongate member under a spring force sufficient to trap the extension portion of the cartridge buttress member between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly;

driving the cartridge assembly against the spring force to separate the cartridge assembly and the elongate member relative to each other;

releasing the extension portion of the cartridge buttress member from being trapped between the elongate member and the cartridge assembly; and

forming fasteners supported in fastener retaining slots defined in the tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly to separate the cartridge buttress member from the tissue engaging surface of the cartridge assembly.