Apparatus for endoscopically applying staples individually to body tissue

• US 5,484,095 A
• Filed: 10/27/1993
• Issued: 01/16/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Alari, Mark E., Bolanos, Henry, Sater, Ghaleb A., Green, David T., Heaton, Lisa W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellegrino, Stephen C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SCHMIDT, JEFFREY
• Application Number:
  US08/144,160
• Time in Patent Office: 811 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/142, 606/143, 606/151, 606/205-207, 227/175-182, 227/901, 227/19
• US Class Current: 227/181.1
• 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 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed for endoscopic application of surgical staples for fastening body tissue, especially vascular tissue. The apparatus includes a frame and an elongated endoscopic section connected to the frame and extending distally therefrom. A staple storage cartridge cooperates with the distal end of the endoscopic section and is selectively pivotal by the user. A staple firing mechanism advances an individual staple against an anvil for staple closure. Means are provided to prevent incomplete staple firing. Relative motion between the staple cartridge and the anvil clamps tissue to be stapled therebetween.

The endoscopic section may be adapted for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the apparatus. Gaseous seal means located in the endoscopic section prevent escape of insufflating gas through the apparatus.

Claims

1. Apparatus for remote application of a surgical staple to body tissue comprising:

a frame;

one handle mounted for movement between open and closed positions and connected to said frame;

a generally elongated member connected to said frame and extending distally therefrom;

a support member positioned adjacent a distal end of said elongated member and mounted for pivotal movement with respect thereto, said support member having a cartridge coupled thereto for storing at least one surgical staple;

an anvil operatively coupled to said support member and said cartridge for forming the surgical staple;

means operatively associated with said one handle and extending through said elongated member for moving said cartridge relative to said anvil in response to movement of said one handle from said open position to an intermediate position spaced from said closed position to clamp body tissue between said cartridge and said anvil prior to forming a staple;

a staple firing mechanism operatively connected to said one handle and actuated in response to movement of said one handle from said intermediate position to said closed position and configured to individually advance a surgical staple from said cartridge into said body tissue and against said anvil to form the staple.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anvil includes an anvil head portion located at a distal end thereof and an anvil body portion, said cartridge being slidably mounted to said anvil body portion such that said cartridge longitudinally slides along said anvil body portion in response to movement of said one handle to provide relative motion between said cartridge and said anvil.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 further comprising means for preventing proximal movement of said cartridge during staple firing comprising:

a locking pin engaged in an aperture formed within said cartridge; and

an aperture formed in said anvil body portion for receiving said locking pin.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said staple firing mechanism comprises a pushing member adapted at its distal end to engage a staple.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said pushing member further comprises an aperture for engaging said locking pin wherein said pushing member aperture and said anvil body aperture align when said cartridge abuts said anvil shoulder.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said pushing member aperture engages said locking pin to drive said locking pin into said anvil body aperture.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said support member and said anvil are pivotably mounted to said elongated member and are selectively pivotal into a plane outside a longitudinal plane formed by the elongated member of the apparatus such that said cartridge is pivoted therewith.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising a control mechanism operatively associated with a proximal end portion of said elongated member and configured to pivot said support means and said anvil.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said anvil is pivotally connected to said cartridge.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising a first camming mechanism linked to said one handle for pivoting said anvil.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10 further comprising a second camming mechanism linked to said one handle to actuate said staple firing mechanism.

12. Apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said first camming mechanism comprises:

an elongated firing rod linked to said at least one handle and adapted for longitudinal reciprocal motion in response to movement of said one handle;

a driving pin cooperating with the distal end of said firing rod and movable therewith; and

a camming surface on a proximal end portion of said anvil whereby travel of said driving pin against said camming surface pivots said anvil between open and closed positions.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said staple firing mechanism includes a staple pusher configured at its distal end to engage an individual staple and including a camming slot at its proximal end.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 further comprising a linking member pivotally connected to said cartridge and having a camming slot at its proximal end for receiving said driving pin and having a projection at its distal end for engaging said staple pusher whereby travel of said driving pin in said camming slot pivots said linking member to actuate said staple pusher.

15. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said staple firing mechanism includes a staple pusher fabricated from a shape memory material adapted at its distal end to engage an individual staple and linked at its proximal end to said elongated firing rod.

16. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said elongated member is rotatable about a longitudinal axis.

17. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said cartridge is removably mounted to said support member.

18. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means operatively connected to said staple firing mechanism for preventing incomplete staple firing.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said means for preventing incomplete staple firing comprises a ratchet mounted to said frame and adapted to engage a pawl mounted to staple firing mechanism wherein said ratchet engages said pawl during staple firing.

20. Apparatus for endoscopic application of a surgical staple to body tissue comprising:

a frame member;

a trigger member pivotally connected to said frame member;

a generally elongated endoscopic housing member connected to said frame member and extending distally therefrom;

a cartridge pivotable with respect to the distal end of said endoscopic housing member and adapted to hold at least one surgical staple;

an anvil operatively associated with the housing member and positioned adjacent the cartridge for forming an individual surgical staple;

means for providing relative motion between said cartridge and said anvil to clamp body tissue between said cartridge and said anvil;

a staple firing mechanism cooperating with said trigger for individually advancing said surgical staple into said body tissue and against said anvil;

means connected to said staple firing mechanism for preventing incomplete staple firing;

a rotation control member operatively associated with a proximal portion of the endoscopic housing member for rotating said endoscopic housing member about a longitudinal axis extending therethrough; and

a gaseous seal positioned within said endoscopic member.

21. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said anvil comprises an anvil head portion and an anvil body portion, said cartridge being slidably mounted to said anvil body portion such that said cartridge slides along said anvil body portion to provide said relative motion between said cartridge and said anvil.

22. Apparatus according to claim 21 further comprising means to prevent proximal movement of said cartridge during staple firing comprising:

a locking pin located within said cartridge and having an angled camming surface; and

an aperture formed in said anvil body portion for receiving said locking pin.

23. Apparatus according to claim 22 wherein said staple firing mechanism further comprises a pushing member having an aperture for engaging said angled camming surface of said locking pin such that said pushing member aperture engages said locking pin camming surface to drive said locking pin into said anvil body aperture.

24. Apparatus according to claim 20 wherein said anvil is pivotally connected to said cartridge.

25. Apparatus according to claim 24 further comprising a camming mechanism operatively associated with said anvil and configured to pivot said anvil and to actuate said staple firing mechanism.

26. Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said camming mechanism comprises a camming surface on a proximal end portion of said anvil whereby travel of said driving pin against said camming surface pivots said anvil between open and closed positions.

27. Apparatus according to claim 24 wherein said staple firing mechanism includes a linking member mounted for longitudinal reciprocal motion and having a driving pin passing through its distal end.

28. Apparatus according to claim 27 wherein said staple firing mechanism further comprises a staple pusher fabricated from shape memory material connected to said linking member.

29. Apparatus for endoscopic application of a surgical staple to body tissue comprising:

a frame;

a trigger member pivotally connected to said frame means;

a generally elongated endoscopic housing member connected to said frame and extending distally therefrom;

a cartridge cooperating with said endoscopic housing member for storing at least one surgical staple;

an anvil operatively associated with said cartridge and positioned adjacent thereto for closing a surgical staple;

a staple firing mechanism including a staple pusher cooperating with said trigger member which when actuated individually advances said surgical staple into said body tissue and against said anvil;

means for providing relative motion between said cartridge and said anvil and for actuating said staple firing mechanism wherein in a first movement of said trigger member said cartridge moves relative to said anvil to a clamped position in which tissue is clamped between said cartridge and said anvil, and in a second subsequent movement of said trigger member said staple pusher is actuated; and

a spring biased locking pin disposed within said cartridge and configured to maintain said cartridge and said anvil in said clamped position during said second movement of said trigger member.

30. Apparatus according to claim 29 wherein said locking pin disposed within said cartridge has an angled camming surface provided thereon and an aperture is formed in said anvil for receiving said locking pin.

31. Apparatus according to claim 30 wherein said staple pusher includes an aperture for engaging said angled camming surface of said locking pin.

32. Apparatus according to claim 31 wherein said aperture in said staple pusher engages said camming surface to drive said locking pin into said aperture in said anvil.

33. Apparatus as recited in claim 32 wherein said locking pin provides an indication that said first movement of said trigger member has been terminated by providing a second movement dwell period.

34. Apparatus according to claim 33 wherein said second movement dwell comprises the driving of said locking pin into said anvil body aperture.

35. Apparatus according to claim 34 further comprising means to prevent incomplete staple firing during said subsequent movement of said trigger member.