Surgical stapler apparatus with flexible shaft
First Claim
1. A longitudinally flexible shaft assembly for connecting the actuator of a surgical stapler to the remotely located stapling assembly of the stapler and for simultaneously transmitting longitudinal tension and compression forces between the actuator and the stapling assembly, the shaft assembly retaining its longitudinal flexibility while transmitting the tension and compression forces, the shaft assembly comprising:
- a longitudinally flexible tension member for transmitting longitudinal tension force along a first geometrical surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the tension member being flexible perpendicular to the first surface;
longitudinally flexible compression means for transmitting longitudinal compression force along a second geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the compression means being flexible perpendicular to the second surface;
a longitudinally flexible longitudinal element for transmitting longitudinal force along a third geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the longitudinal element being flexible perpendicular to the third surface; and
longitudinally flexible force-transmitting means for transmitting resultant forces perpendicular to the first, second, and third surfaces for keeping the first, second, and third surfaces substantially coincident while allowing relative longitudinal motion between the tension member, the compression means, and the longitudinal element.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical stapler including a stapling assembly, an actuator assembly remote from the stapling assembly, and a longitudinal shaft assembly having a longitudinally flexible section for connecting the actuator assembly to the stapling assembly and for transmitting the forces and motions required to operate the stapling assembly from the actuator assembly to the stapling assembly.
1883 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A longitudinally flexible shaft assembly for connecting the actuator of a surgical stapler to the remotely located stapling assembly of the stapler and for simultaneously transmitting longitudinal tension and compression forces between the actuator and the stapling assembly, the shaft assembly retaining its longitudinal flexibility while transmitting the tension and compression forces, the shaft assembly comprising:
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a longitudinally flexible tension member for transmitting longitudinal tension force along a first geometrical surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the tension member being flexible perpendicular to the first surface; longitudinally flexible compression means for transmitting longitudinal compression force along a second geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the compression means being flexible perpendicular to the second surface; a longitudinally flexible longitudinal element for transmitting longitudinal force along a third geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the longitudinal element being flexible perpendicular to the third surface; and longitudinally flexible force-transmitting means for transmitting resultant forces perpendicular to the first, second, and third surfaces for keeping the first, second, and third surfaces substantially coincident while allowing relative longitudinal motion between the tension member, the compression means, and the longitudinal element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A longitudinally flexible shaft assembly for connecting the actuator of a surgical stapler to the remotely located stapling assembly of the stapler and for simultaneously transmitting longitudinal tension and compression forces between the actuator and the stapling assembly, the shaft assembly retaining its longitudinal flexibility while transmitting the tension and compression forces, the shaft assembly comprising:
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a longitudinally flexible tension member for transmitting longitudinal tension force along a first geometrical surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the tension member being flexible perpendicular to the first surface; longitudinally flexible compression means for transmitting longitudinal compression force along a second geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the compression means being flexible perpendicular to the second surface and comprising a plurality of substantially non-compressible elements disposed in series along the length of the shaft assembly, each non-compressible element being in longitudinal contact with the adjacent non-compressible elements, the contacting surfaces of adjacent non-compressible elements being so contoured that contact between each two adjacent non-compressible elements occurs at least along a respective line which lies in the second surface; a longitudinally flexible longitudinal element for transmitting longitudinal force along a third geometrical surface substantially coincident with the first surface, the longitudinal element being flexible perpendicular to the third surface; and longitudinally flexible force-transmitting means for transmitting resultant forces perpendicular to the first, second, and third surfaces for keeping the first, second, and third surfaces substantially coincident while allowing relative longitudinal motion between the tension member, the compression means, and the longitudinal element. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. Apparatus for connecting first and second sections of hollow body organ by means of an annular array of surgical staples surrounding a lumen which communicates with the interiors of both organ sections, said apparatus comprising:
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a first hollow tube assembly having a longitunally flexible section, the distal portion of the first tube assembly being adapted for insertion through the interior of the first of the organ sections; a staple holding assembly mounted on the distal end of the first tube assembly and adapted for insertion through the first organ section, the staple holding assembly containing an annular array of surgical staples ejectable from the distal end of the staple holding assembly and including staple ejection means; an anvil assembly adapted for insertion in the second of the organ sections; means associated with the staple holding assembly for mounting the anvil assembly for longitudinal reciprocal motion relative to the distal end of the staple holding assembly; an actuator assembly mounted on the proximal end of the first tube assembly; a longitudinally flexible member disposed in the first tube assembly for longitudinal reciprocal motion relative to the first tube assembly for operatively connecting the means for mounting the anvil assembly to the actuator assembly for transmitting a longitudinal tension force from the actuator assembly to the means for mounting the anvil assembly to move the anvil assembly toward the distal end of the staple holding assembly to clamp the first and second organ sections together between the anvil assembly and the distal end of the staple holding assembly, and to hold the anvil assembly adjacent the distal end of the staple holding assembly so that the staples ejected from the staple holding assembly are clinched by the anvil assembly; and a second hollow tube assembly concentric with and disposed in the first tube assembly for longitudinal motion relative to the first tube assembly for transmitting a longitudinal compression force from the actuator assembly to the staple ejection means for ejecting the staples from the staple holding assembly, the second tube assembly having a longitudinally flexible section within the longitudinally flexible section of the first tube assembly.
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17. Apparatus for connecting first and second sections of hollow body organ by means of an annular array of surgical staples surrounding a lumen which communicates with the interiors of both organ sections, said apparatus comprising:
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a first hollow tube assembly having a longitudinally flexible section, the distal portion of the first tube assembly being adapted for insertion through the interior of the first of the organ sections; a staple holding assembly mounted on the distal end of the first tube assembly and adapted for insertion through the first organ section, the staple holding assembly containing an annular array of surgical staples ejectable from the distal end of the staple holding assembly and including staple ejection means; an anvil assembly adapted for insertion in the second of the organ sections; means associated with the staple holding assembly for mounting the anvil assembly for longitudinal reciprocal motion relative to the distal end of the staple holding assembly; an actuator assembly mounted on the proximal end of the first tube assembly; a longitudinally flexible member disposed in the first tube assembly for longitudinal reciprocal motion relative to the first tube assembly for operatively connecting the means for mounting the anvil assembly to the actuator assembly for transmitting a longitudinal tension force from the actuator assembly to the means for mounting the anvil assembly to move the anvil assembly toward the distal end of the staple holding assembly to clamp the first and second organ sections together between the anvil assembly and the distal end of the staple holding assembly, and to hold the anvil assembly adjacent the distal end of the staple holding assembly so that the staples ejected from the staple holding assembly are clinched by the anvil assembly; and a second hollow tube assembly concentric with and disposed in the first tube assembly for longitudinal motion relative to the first tube assembly for transmitting a longitudinal compression force from the actuator assembly to the staple ejection means for ejecting the staples from the staple holding assembly, the second tube assembly having a longitudinally flexible section within the longitudinally flexible section of the first tube assembly; wherein the flexible sections of the first and second hollow tube assemblies each comprises a plurality of segments in a longitudinal series which make line contact with each other, the line contacts for the segments of each of the tubes lying in a geometric surface, and further comprising means for maintaining the longitudinal axis of the portion of the flexible tension transmitting member corresponding to the flexible sections of the first and second tubes in the geometric surface. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification