SURGICAL FASTENER CARTRIDGES WITH DRIVER STABILIZING ARRANGEMENTS

• US 20150297227A1
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Huitema, Thomas W., Schellin, Emily A., Hueil, Geoffrey C., Shelton, Frederick E. IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,833,241 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/072 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00057 Light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00115 with audible or visual output with imaging means A61B90/37, A61B34/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• 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 2017/07257 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 2090/034 abutting on parts of the device itself
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/038 : during shipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 : Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0807 : Indication means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 : using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 : using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/1425 : by reconfiguration of node membership

Abstract

A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument. The cartridge may include a cartridge body that has a series of staple pockets therein. A driver is movably supported in each staple pocket and is configured to operably support at least one surgical staple thereon. In one arrangement, at least some of the drivers may be formed with one or more laterally extending features that are configured to be received in correspondingly-shaped grooves in the cartridge body to provide lateral support to the driver as it is operably moved within the staple pocket. In other arrangements, at least one inwardly-extending features is formed in the inner wall surface of the pocket and is configured to be movably supported within correspondingly-shaped groove in the driver.

Claims

1. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein the fastener cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body comprising a deck and at least one staple pocket, wherein each said staple pocket comprises an opening in said deck and defines an inner pocket surface;

a driver movably positioned in at least one said staple pocket and supporting a surgical fastener thereon, each said driver comprising;

a driver body including an outer surface portion that confronts the inner pocket surface of said staple pocket in which the driver body is movably positioned; and

at least one feature extending laterally from the outer surface portion and being movably positioned against said inner pocket surface.

2. The fastener cartridge of claim 1, wherein said driver body comprises a first driver portion comprising:

a first proximal driver portion including a first proximal outer surface portion; and

a first distal driver portion including a first distal outer surface portion and wherein said at least one laterally extending feature comprises a first proximal support column extending laterally from said first proximal outer surface portion and a first distal support column extending laterally from said first distal outer surface portion.

3. The fastener cartridge of claim 2, wherein said first proximal driver portion includes another first proximal outer surface portion and wherein said first distal driver portion includes another first distal outer surface portion and wherein said fastener cartridge further comprises another first proximal support column extending laterally from said another first proximal outer surface portion and another first distal support column extending laterally from said another first distal outer surface portion.

4. The fastener cartridge of claim 2, wherein said driver body further comprises a second driver portion coupled to said first driver portion and wherein said second driver portion comprises:

a second proximal driver portion; and

a second distal driver portion and wherein said at least one laterally extending feature further comprises at least one second support column extending laterally from each of said second proximal and second distal driver portions.

5. The fastener cartridge of claim 4, wherein at least two of said second support columns are formed on said second distal driver portion and at least two other of said second support columns are formed on said second proximal driver portion.

6. The fastener cartridge of claim 1, wherein each of said at least one laterally extending features is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped groove in said inner pocket surface.

7. The fastener cartridge of claim 2, wherein each said first proximal support column is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped first groove in said inner pocket surface.

8. The fastener cartridge of claim 3, wherein each said another first proximal support column is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped first proximal groove in said inner pocket surface.

9. The fastener cartridge of claim 4, wherein each said second support column is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped second groove in said inner pocket surface.

10. The fastener cartridge of claim 5, wherein each said second support column is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped second groove in said inner pocket surface.

11. The fastener cartridge of claim 1, wherein said driver body is fabricated from flexible material.

12. The fastener cartridge of claim 2, wherein said first proximal driver portion comprises:

a first proximal body portion including first proximal lateral sides, the first proximal body portion including a first proximal body width; and

a first proximal end portion including a first proximal end width that is less than the first proximal body width and wherein said first distal driver portion comprises;

a first distal body portion including first distal lateral sides, the first distal body portion including a first distal body width; and

a first distal end portion including a first distal end width that is less than the first distal body width.

13. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein the fastener cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body comprising a deck and at least one a staple pocket, wherein said staple pocket comprises an opening in said deck and defines an inner pocket surface;

a driver movably positioned in said staple pocket and supporting a surgical fastener thereon;

at least one feature extending inwardly from the inner pocket surface to be movably received within a correspondingly-shaped groove in the driver.

14. The fastener cartridge of claim 13, wherein said inner pocket surface comprises a pair of opposed inner pocket surface portions and wherein each said inner pocket surface portion includes at least one of said inwardly extending features that is movably received within a correspondingly-shaped groove in said driver.

15. The fastener cartridge of claim 14, wherein each said inner pocket surface includes two of said inwardly extending features configured to be received within said correspondingly-shaped grooves in said driver body.

16. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein the fastener cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body comprising a deck with a plurality of staple pockets formed therein; and

a plurality of drivers wherein each said staple pocket has a corresponding one of said drivers movably supported therein, each said driver supporting at least one surgical fastener thereon, at least some of said drivers including at least one laterally extending feature that is configured to be movably received within a correspondingly-shaped groove formed in a wall of said staple pocket in which is said driver is movably supported.

17. The fastener cartridge of claim 16, wherein at least some, but not all, of said drivers include at least one laterally extending feature.

18. The fastener cartridge of claim 17, wherein said cartridge body further comprises an elongate slot and wherein the plurality of staple pockets comprises:

first, second and third rows of first staple pockets on a first side of said elongate slot, wherein said third row of said first staple pockets is further away from said elongate slot than said first and second rows; and

fourth, fifth and sixth rows of second staple pockets on a second side of said elongate slot, wherein said sixth row of said second staple pockets is further away from said elongate slot than said fourth and fifth rows and wherein only those said drivers in said third row of said first staple pockets and said drivers in said sixth row of said second staple pockets include said at least one laterally extending feature.

19. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein the fastener cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body comprising a deck and at least one staple pocket, wherein each said staple pocket comprises an opening in said deck and defines an inner pocket surface;

a plurality of drivers wherein each said staple pocket includes one of said drivers movably supported therein, each said driver supporting at least one surgical fastener thereon, each said driver comprising;

a driver body including an outer surface that confronts the inner pocket surface of said staple pocket in which the driver body is movably supported;

first means on said outer surface of said driver body for providing lateral support to said driver; and

second means formed in said cartridge body and configured to cooperate with said first means on said outer surface of said driver body to provide lateral support to said driver.

20. A fastener cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, wherein the fastener cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body comprising a deck and at least one staple pocket, wherein each said staple pocket comprises an opening in said deck and defines an inner pocket surface;

a driver movably positioned in at least one said staple pocket and supporting a surgical fastener thereon, each said driver including a leading and a trailing end and being sized and shaped relative to the inner pocket surface such that only at least one of the leading and trailing ends movably contact the inner pocket surface during operation.

21. The fastener cartridge of claim 20, further comprising at least one laterally extending feature on at least one of said leading and trailing ends such that each of said at least one laterally extending features is the only portion of the driver that contacts the inner pocket surface.