Surgical apparatus and detachable anvil rod therefor

• US 5,368,215 A
• Filed: 09/08/1992
• Issued: 11/29/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Flanagan, Patrick, Green, David T., Wilson, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Application Number:
  US07/941,746
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 227/179, 227/180, 227/19, 227/175
• US Class Current: 227/179.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• 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 2017/00429 with a roughened portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00433 knurled
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1125 Forceps, specially adapted for performing or assisting anastomosis

Abstract

A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for circular fastening of hollow organs is provided. An elongated rod member has a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate the proximal and distal end portions. The irregular surface portion includes a plurality of grooves which define a plurality of raised ridges. The ridges are adapted to engage grasping surfaces of a grasping tool so as to minimize potential of slippage, thus enhancing the maneuvering procedure of the anvil rod about the operative site. The anvil rod also includes a narrowly configured mounting portion which enables the rod to be applied to and mounted within the distal end of the stapling apparatus from a variety of angular positions. An apparatus which incorporates the improved detachable anvil rod is also described.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus for performing circular anastomosis of first and second tissue sections, comprising:

an elongated shaft having a proximal and a distal end;

means for firing a plurality of fasteners from said distal end of said elongated shaft; and

anvil means detachably mounted to said distal end of said elongated shaft, said anvil means including an anvil rod having a proximal and a distal end portion and an anvil head mounted to said distal end portion of said anvil rod, said anvil rod including an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions thereof, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion defining a reduced cross section relative to portions of said anvil rod adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a general longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said ridges and grooves engageable with gripping surface portions of a grasping tool so as to minimize potential for slippage and to enhance maneuvering of said anvil rod about an operative site.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said grooves and ridges of said recessed portion of said anvil rod are disposed about the circumference of said recessed portion.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anvil rod includes a plurality of longitudinally extending external splines adjacent said irregular surface portion, said external splines engagable with cooperating longitudinally extending internal splines formed within said distal end of said elongated shaft to properly align said anvil rod with the apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said distal portion of said anvil rod includes a plurality of longitudinally extending external splines engagable with cooperating longitudinally extending internal splines formed within said anvil head to properly align said anvil head with said anvil rod and said fastener firing means.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said grooves of said recessed portion intersect and are oriented at generally opposite angles with respect to each other.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fasteners are metallic staples.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said fasteners are two-part absorbable fasteners.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said proximal end portion includes a conical shaped mounting portion.

9. A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis, comprising an elongated rod member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion having a reduced cross section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a generally longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said grooves and ridges to be engaged by grasping surfaces of grasping means so as to facilitate gripping engagement therebetween while avoiding slippage when maneuvering said anvil rod about an operative site, said rod member further including at least one frusto-conical surface adjacent said recessed portion.

10. The anvil rod according to claim 9 further comprising two opposed frusto-conical surfaces adjacent said recessed portion.

11. A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis, comprising an elongated rod member including a proximal end portion defining a conical shaped mounting portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion having a reduced cross section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a generally longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said grooves and ridges to be engaged by grasping surfaces of grasping means so as to facilitate gripping engagement therebetween while avoiding slippage when maneuvering said anvil rod about an operative site.

12. The anvil rod according to claim 11 wherein said mounting portion defines a mounting tip.

13. The anvil rod according to claim 12 wherein said mounting tip defines an arcuate surface.

14. The anvil rod according to claim 12 wherein said mounting tip defines an angle ranging from about 5°

to about 40°

.

15. The anvil rod according to claim 14 wherein said angle defined by said mounting tip is about 20°

.

16. A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis, comprising an elongated rod member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion having a reduced cross section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a generally longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said grooves and ridges to be engaged by grasping surfaces of grasping means so as to facilitate gripping engagement therebetween while avoiding slippage when maneuvering said anvil rod about an operative site, said rod member including a plurality of longitudinally extending external splines adjacent said irregular surface portion, said external splines engagable with cooperating longitudinally extending internal splines formed within a distal end of the apparatus to properly align said anvil rod with the apparatus.

17. A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for circular fastening of hollow body organs, which comprises an elongated rod member defining a longitudinal axis and including a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion having a reduced cross section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of generally longitudinal extending intersecting ridges and grooves having a generally acute angle with the axis of said rod member and being connected to said distal end portion by a connecting portion having a generally frusto-conical surface portion.

18. A surgical apparatus for performing circular anastomosis of first and second tissue sections, comprising:

an elongated shaft having a proximal end and a distal end;

means disposed within said elongated shaft for firing a plurality of fasteners from said distal end of said elongated shaft; and

anvil means detachably mounted to said distal end of said elongated shaft, said anvil means including an anvil rod having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, and an anvil head mounted to said distal end portion of said anvil rod, each said proximal and distal end portions of said anvil rod having longitudinally extending external splines, said longitudinally extending external splines of said proximal end portion to be cooperatively received within corresponding longitudinally extending internal splines formed within said distal end of said elongated shaft to properly align said anvil rod with said shaft, said longitudinally extending splines of said distal end portion to be cooperatively received within corresponding internal splines formed in said anvil head to properly align said anvil head with said anvil rod and said distal end of said elongated shaft, said irregular surface portion including a recessed portion defining a reduced cross sectional dimension relative to portions of said anvil rod adjacent said recessed portion, said recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a general longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said ridges and grooves engageable with gripping surface portions of a grasping tool so as to minimize potential for slippage and to enhance maneuvering of said anvil rod about an operative site.

19. A detachable anvil rod for use with an apparatus for performing circular anastomosis, comprising an elongated rod member having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and an irregular surface portion intermediate said proximal and distal end portions, said irregular surface portion including a first recessed portion having a reduced cross section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said recessed portion, said first recessed portion including a plurality of grooves extending in a generally longitudinal direction wherein adjacent grooves define ridges therebetween, said grooves and ridges to be engaged by grasping surfaces of grasping means so as to facilitate gripping engagement therebetween while avoiding slippage when maneuvering said anvil rod about an operative site, said elongated rod member further including a second recessed portion disposed between said first recessed portion and said distal end portion for accommodating a purse string stitch, said second recessed portion defining a cross-section relative to portions of said rod member adjacent said second recessed portion.