Apparatus for securement and attachment of body organs

• US 5,122,156 A
• Filed: 12/14/1990
• Issued: 06/16/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Granger, Richard N., Korthoff, Herbert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US07/628,189
• Time in Patent Office: 550 Days
• Field of Search: 606/219, 227/175-180, 227/19
• US Class Current: 606/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00349 Needle-like instruments having hook or barb-like gripping means, e.g. for grasping suture or tissue A61B17/06066 takes precedence

Abstract

An apparatus and method is disclosed for performing circular anastomosis on body portions, such body portions preferably include at least one tubular organ such as intestines, colons, or the like. The apparatus includes an annular crown-like structure which includes a plurality of elongated sharp resilient members positioned and adapted to pierce and secure the tubular body part in position for attachment to the other body part. An anvil for providing closure in such circular anastomosis and a method of performing such circular anastomosis are also disclosed. A unique anvil for performing such procedures with staples is also disclosed.

Claims

1. In combination with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis of first and second body portions wherein a first fastening member is adapted to support a first tubular body portion and a second fastening member is adapted to cooperate with said first fastening member to attach the first tubular body portion to the second body portion which comprises:

a) a body tissue holding member positionable on said first fastening member and having a plurality of sharp tipped members positioned and oriented to pierce portions of said first body portion in a manner to secure said first body portion in position for attachment to said second body portion.

2. In an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis at a location remote from the location at which the instrument is manipulated which comprises:

a) an elongated member having opposite distal and proximal ends;

b) means located at the distal end of said elongated member for performing the surgical fastening procedure, said fastening means having proximal and distal fastening components arranged to be positioned within the respective opposite end portions of generally tubular shaped body portions to be fastened and to cooperate with each other for applying a circular array of staples or fasteners for fastening the generally tubular body portions;

c) means connected to said distal fastening member in general concentric alignment therewith and having a plurality of sharp tipped members facing the proximal direction and positioned in a generally circular array, said sharp tipped members adapted to penetrate and secure for fastening a tubular body portion positioned about said distal fastening member to maintain said body portion in position for circular fastening to the opposite body portion;

d) means connected to said proximal fastening member in general concentric alignment therewith and having a plurality of sharp tipped members facing the distal direction and positioned in a generally circular array, said sharp tipped members adapted to penetrate and secure for fastening, a tubular body portion positioned about said proximal fastening member to maintain said body portion in position for circular fastening to the opposite body portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said apparatus for attaching the tubular body portions is a surgical stapler.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said first member is a crown-like member having a plurality of barbed elongated members extending from a generally annular shaped base member.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said crown-like member is stamped from sheet metal.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said sheet metal is stainless steel.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said stainless steel is resilient.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said second member is a crown-like member having a plurality of barbed elongated members extending from a generally circular shaped base member.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said crown-like member is stamped from sheet metal.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said sheet metal is stainless steel.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said stainless steel is resilient.

12. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said crown-like member includes eight elongated members each having a spear-like tip.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each spear-like tip has three points.

14. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said spear-like members are arranged in a circular array and are equally distributed to firmly and uniformly secure the body organ for fastening procedure.

15. The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said crown-like member includes eight elongated members each having a spear-like tip.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each spear-like tip has three points.

17. The apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said spear-like members are arranged in a circular array and are equally distributed to firmly and uniformly secure the body organ for fastening procedure.

18. The apparatus according to claim 12 wherein each spear like tip has a sharp pointed tip and at least two trailing sharp edges.

19. The apparatus according to claim 15 wherein each spear like tip has a sharp pointed tip and at least two trailing sharp edges.

20. The apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said spear-like members are generally arcuate in size with the concave side facing the longitudinal axis of said crown-like member.

21. The apparatus according to claim 17 wherein said spear-like members are generally arcuate in size with the concave side facing the longitudinal axis of said crown-like member.

22. An apparatus for temporarily securing open end portions of a tubular body organ for attachment to each other wherein a first proximal member is inserted into one tubular body portion and a distal member is inserted into the other tubular body portion for positioning in relative opposite positions for attachment to each other, the improvement which comprises:

a) a first tissue holding member positionable on said proximal member and having a plurality of generally sharp tipped elongated members facing distally for piercing an end portion of a first tubular body organ to retain the tubular body organ in fixed position for attachment to the other tubular body organ; and

b) a second tissue holding member positionable on said distal member and having a plurality of generally sharp tipped elongated members facing proximally for piercing an end portion of a second tubular body portion to retain the tubular body portion in fixed position opposite the first tubular body portion end portion for attachment to each other.

23. In combination with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis of opposed open end portions of generally tubular shaped body portions wherein a proximal fastening member is adapted to support an open tubular body portion and a distal member is adapted to cooperate with said proximal fastening member to apply fastener means to attach the end portions of the tubular members, the improvement which comprises:

a) a first member positionable on said proximal member and having a plurality of generally sharp tipped members facing distally for attaching an end portion of the tubular body portion to retain the body portion in position for fastening to the other body portion; and

b) a second member positionable on said cooperating distal fastening member and having a plurality of sharp tipped members facing the proximal direction for securing an end portion of the other tubular body portion to retain the body portion in position for fastening to said first body portion.

24. In combination with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis of first and second body portions wherein a proximal fastening member is adapted to support a first body portion and a distal member is adapted to cooperate with said proximal fastening member to attach the body portions by circular anastomosis, the improvement which comprises:

a) a first member positionable on said proximal member and having a plurality of generally sharp tipped members facing distally for securing the first body portion to retain the body portion in position for fastening to the second body portion; and

b) a second member positionable on said cooperating distal fastening member and having a plurality of sharp tipped members facing the proximal direction for securing the second body portion to retain the body portion in position for attachment to the first body portion by circular anastomosis.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising circular knife means to cut inner excess portions of tissue to complete the circular anastomosis.

26. A method for securement of a first body portion for attachment to a second body portion wherein a first fastener member and a second fastener member are adapted to cooperate with each other to attach the body portions by circular anastomosis, comprising:

a) positioning a crown-like member on a first of said fastener members to secure the body portion thereon for attachment to the other body portion, said crown-like member having an annular base member and a plurality of sharp spear-like members extending in an annular array from said base member toward said other fastening member and generally parallel to the central longitudinal axis of said fastening members;

b) positioning said body portion over said first fastening member and folding an end portion over said crown-like member in a manner to cause said sharp spear-like members to pierce the body portion to secure the body portion in position for attachment to the second body portion; and

c) attaching the first body portion to the second body portion.

27. The method according to claim 26 wherein said first body portion is tubular.

28. The method according to claim 27 wherein said second body portion is tubular.

29. A method for securement of generally tubular hollow body parts in preparation for attachment by staples, two part fasteners, sutures or the like comprising:

a) providing a first crown-like member having an annular base member and a plurality of sharp spear-like members extending in an annular array from said base member and generally parallel to a central longitudinal axis extending therethrough;

b) mounting said crown-like member and support means and inserting said support means into an end portion of a first hollow body part;

c) providing a second a crown-like member on said support means, said second member having an annular base member and a plurality of sharp spear-like members extending in an annular array from said base member and generally parallel to said central longitudinal axis, said spear-like members facing a direction opposite the spear-like members of said first crown-like member;

d) inserting said second crown-like member into the opposite open end portion of a second hollow body part to be attached to the first hollow body part;

e) folding the end portion of said first hollow body part over said sharp end portions of said spear-like members of said first crown-like member to cause said spear-like members to penetrate marginal end portions of the hollow body part in a manner to secure the marginal end portion of the hollow part in position to facilitate permanent attachment to the second hollow body part; and

f) folding the end portion of the second hollow body part over said sharp end portions of said spear-like members of said second crown-like member to cause said spear-like members to penetrate marginal end portions of the second hollow body portion in a manner to secure the marginal end portion thereof to facilitate permanent attachment to the first hollow body part.

30. In an anvil for providing closure to staples applied by a circular staple applying apparatus, the staples being applied in a circular array and the anvil having a plurality of lands correspondingly positioned to receive and close the staples, the improvement in combination therewith which comprises a crown-like member having an annular base member formed of a resilient sheet steel and having a plurality of elongated sharp spear-like members extending from said annular base member and integral therewith, said resilient spear-like members being generally curved inwardly toward the anvil longitudinal axis from the base member to the sharp tips at the free ends thereof to facilitate piercing free end portions of a hollow body part in which said crown-like member is inserted for securing the body part in position in overlapping relation to the anvil staple closure lands for permanent staple attachment of the hollow body part to an opposite body part.