SURGICAL STAPLES AND METHODS FOR MAKING THE SAME

• US 20150173750A1
• Filed: 12/23/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Baxter, Chester O. III
• Granted Patent: US 9,968,354 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• 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 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• 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 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material

Abstract

A surgical staple and staple cartridge for removably storing the surgical staple. The staple can be formed and/or stamped from a sheet of material. The staple can include a base and staple legs extending from the base. The base can be non-linear and/or laterally contoured intermediate the staple legs.

Claims

1. A surgical staple, comprising:

a first leg;

a second leg; and

a non-linear base, comprising;

a first drive surface;

a second drive surface laterally offset from the first drive surface; and

a contour intermediate the first drive surface and the second drive surface.

2. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the first drive surface is coplanar with the first leg and the second leg.

3. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the second drive surface is laterally offset from the first leg and the second leg.

4. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the second drive surface further comprises a flat surface.

5. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the non-linear base further comprises a proximal portion, wherein the first leg extends from the proximal portion, and wherein the proximal portion further comprises the first drive surface.

6. The surgical staple of claim 5, wherein the proximal portion further comprises a nub.

7. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the base, the first leg, and the second leg define a unitary piece.

8. A surgical staple, comprising:

a base comprising an integral drive surface;

a first leg extending from the base; and

a second leg extending from the base;

wherein a staple midline bisects the base intermediate the first leg and the second leg, and wherein the integral drive surface extends across the staple midline.

9. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein the integral drive surface further comprises an inclined surface.

10. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein the first leg and the second leg flank the integral drive surface.

11. The surgical staple of claim 10, wherein the integral drive surface is laterally offset from the first leg and the second leg.

12. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein the integral drive surface comprises a first integral drive surface, and wherein the base further comprises a second integral drive surface.

13. The surgical staple of claim 12, wherein the second integral drive surface is laterally aligned with the first leg and the second leg.

14. The surgical staple of claim 12, wherein the second integral drive surface is proximal to the integral drive surface.

15. The surgical staple of claim 12, wherein a gap is defined between the second integral drive surface and the integral drive surface.

16. A surgical staple, comprising:

a leg comprising an overall leg depth,

a base comprising an overall base height;

wherein the base height is independent of the leg depth, and wherein the leg and the base define a seamless unitary piece.

17. The surgical staple of claim 16, wherein the base height is greater than the leg depth.

18. The surgical staple of claim 16, wherein the base further comprises at least one integral drive surface.

19. A surgical staple stamped from a sheet of material, the surgical staple comprising:

a first leg comprising a first cross-section;

a second leg comprising a second cross-section; and

a base comprising a base cross-section, wherein the base cross-section is different than said first cross-section and said second cross-section.

20. The surgical staple of claim 19, wherein the first leg comprises a first flat surface formed from a flat surface of the sheet of material, the second leg comprises a second flat surface formed from the flat surface of the sheet of material, and wherein said first flat surface and said second flat surface are co-planar.

21. The surgical staple of claim 20, wherein the base comprises a base flat surface formed from the flat surface of the sheet of material, and wherein the base flat surface and the first flat surface are not co-planar.

22. A surgical fastener formed from a sheet of material, the surgical fastener comprising:

a first leg;

a second leg, wherein the first leg and the second leg define a leg plane, wherein the first leg defines a first leg height and a first leg depth within the leg plane, and wherein the second leg defines a second leg height and a second leg depth within the leg plane; and

a base contiguously connecting the first leg and the second leg, wherein the base comprises a base height that is larger than the first leg depth and the second leg depth.

23. An end effector for use with a surgical instrument, said end effector comprising:

a channel comprising a sidewall;

a cartridge body positioned within said channel; and

a fastener cavity at least partially defined by said channel and said cartridge body; and

a fastener removably stored in said fastener cavity.