Surgical stapler apparatus

• US 5,392,979 A
• Filed: 11/12/1993
• Issued: 02/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bolanos, Henry, Ratcliff, Keith, Green, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Application Number:
  US08/151,398
• Time in Patent Office: 473 Days
• Field of Search: 227/179, 227/19, 227/175, 227/176, 227/180
• US Class Current: 227/179.1
• 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 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/39 Markers, e.g. radio-opaque or breast lesions markers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 403/07 Split ring stop or abutment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32901 Unitary clip or plug

Abstract

The end-to-end anastomosis apparatus is provided with a mounting means which can receive a trocar for making holes in tissue and, subsequently, an anvil shaft for the mounting of an anvil assembly for stapling purposes. The anvil shaft is provided with splines which cooperate with splines on a shell liner within the housing of the apparatus to align the buckets on the anvil assembly with the staples in a cartridge secured in the apparatus. In addition, the anvil assembly is provided with a spring for locking of the anvil housing on the anvil shaft.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus for applying fasteners comprising:

a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis and a movable shaft positioned therein;

an anvil assembly removably mounted to said movable shaft, said anvil assembly including an anvil head and an anvil shaft; and

a detent mechanism for removably mounting said anvil shaft to said movable shaft, said detent mechanism including at least one detent positioned for movement between first and second positions, wherein in said first position said at least one detent prevents release of said anvil shaft from said movable shaft and in said second position said at least one detent allows release of said anvil shaft from said movable shaft.

2. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said movable shaft is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, said at least one detent retained in said first position when said movable shaft is in said retracted position.

3. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least one detent is spring biased to said first position.

4. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 3, wherein movement of said movable shaft to said retracted position pulls said anvil shaft proximally, and a cylindrical member positioned within said tubular housing prevents movement of said at least one detent radially outwardly.

5. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein removal of said anvil shaft from said movable shaft initially forces said at least one detent in a direction away from said longitudinal axis.

6. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said detent mechanism comprises two radially movable detents positioned opposite one another, said detents protruding towards said longitudinal axis of said tubular housing.

7. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said detents are spring biased inwardly towards the longitudinal axis.

8. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein mounting of said anvil shaft to said movable shaft initially forces said detents radially outwardly.

9. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said anvil shaft comprises a recess to receive said detents.

10. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a trocar portion extending proximally from said anvil shaft, said trocar portion having an annular recess to receive said at least one detent.

11. A surgical apparatus for applying fasteners comprising:

a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis and a movable shaft positioned therein for sliding movement relative to the tubular housing;

an anvil assembly having a shaft removably mounted to said movable shaft;

a retaining mechanism for removably mounting said anvil assembly to said movable shaft, said retaining mechanism including a pair of longitudinally extending spring biased elongated arms, each of said elongated arms having a protruding portion extending inwardly towards said longitudinal axis, said protruding portion movable radially between an inner and an outer position with respect to said longitudinal axis to allow removal of said anvil assembly.

12. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said elongated arms are normally in said inner position and removal of said anvil assembly forces said elongated arms to said outer position.

13. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said movable shaft is movable between a retracted and an extended position, said elongated arms being maintained in said inner position when said movable shaft is in said retracted position.

14. A surgical apparatus for applying fasteners comprising:

a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis and a movable shaft;

an anvil assembly including an anvil head and an elongated anvil shaft extending therefrom, said anvil head having an annular row of fastener forming buckets, said anvil shaft removably mounted to said movable shaft;

a fastener pusher assembly including an annular row of fasteners positioned opposite the anvil head and a longitudinally sliding fastener pusher; and

a plurality of splines positioned on an outer surface of said anvil shaft for aligning said annular row of anvil buckets with said annular row of fasteners when said anvil shaft is mounted to said movable shaft.

15. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 14, wherein said anvil shaft has a longitudinal axis and said splines extend substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis.

16. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 15, further comprising a plurality of internal splines positioned within said tubular housing to mate with said splines on said anvil shaft.

17. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said anvil shaft has a distal end adjacent said anvil head and a proximal end, said splines on said anvil shaft being spaced from said proximal end.

18. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 16, wherein said internal splines are positioned adjacent a distal end portion of the tubular housing.

19. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 14, further comprising a retaining mechanism for preventing removal of said anvil shaft from said movable shaft when in a retracted position.

20. A surgical apparatus for applying fasteners comprising:

a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis and a movable shaft;

a fastener pusher assembly positioned at a distal end of said tubular housing and including an annular row of fasteners;

a trocar extending from said movable shaft for penetrating body tissue, said trocar movable between a retracted position wherein said trocar is prevented from penetrating tissue and an extended position wherein said trocar protrudes from said tubular housing to penetrate tissue in a first direction;

an anvil assembly including an anvil head and an anvil shaft extending therefrom, said anvil shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and removably positioned along the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing; and

a trocar tip extending from said distal end of said anvil shaft for penetrating body tissue from a second direction, said second direction being opposite said first direction.

21. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 20, wherein in said retracted position, said trocar is positioned entirely within said tubular housing.

22. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said trocar is removably mounted to said movable shaft.

23. A surgical apparatus for applying fasteners comprising:

a tubular housing having proximal and distal ends, and a longitudinal axis;

an anvil assembly including an anvil head and an anvil shaft extending therefrom;

a plurality of fasteners positioned opposite said anvil head;

a fastener pusher for ejecting the fasteners; and

a movable shaft positioned within said tubular housing for movement between first and second positions, said anvil shaft removably mounted to said movable shaft, wherein movement of said movable shaft to a retracted position prevents release of the anvil shaft and movement of said movable shaft to an extended position allows release of the anvil shaft from the movable shaft, said movable shaft pulling said anvil shaft toward said retracted position when moved toward said second position.

24. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said movable shaft is longitudinally slidable within said tubular housing.

25. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 24, wherein said anvil shaft has a plurality of splines extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis.

26. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said anvil shaft is snap fit to said movable shaft.

27. A surgical apparatus as set forth in claim 26, further comprising a detent mechanism, said detent mechanism movable between first and second positions to prevent removal of said anvil shaft.