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Endoscopic surgical instrument with pivotable and rotatable staple cartridge

  • US 5,431,323 A
  • Filed: 06/21/1993
  • Issued: 07/11/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising:

  • a handle including a staple actuator mechanism;

    a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle;

    a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue;

    said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft;

    said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section;

    said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge;

    a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge;

    first means formed from a memory metal for articulating said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation, wherein said first means also comprises a means for providing a staple driving force to said staple cartridge to drive staples contained in said staple cartridge.

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