Sealing means for endoscopic surgical anastomosis stapling instrument

• US 5,533,661 A
• Filed: 01/25/1995
• Issued: 07/09/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Main, Lauren O., Grant, Richard L.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAFER, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US08/378,857
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175, 227/176, 227/179, 227/178, 227/180, 227/19
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• 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 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2948 Sealing means, e.g. for sealing the interior from fluid entry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3419 Sealing means between cannula and body

Abstract

A sealed surgical stapling instrument for performing a circular anastomosis stapling operation is provided. The surgical instrument includes a stapling head assembly mounted by a curved shaft to an actuator handle assembly and incorporates an improved actuator mechanism for transmitting the required operating forces and movements from the actuator handle assembly through the curved shaft to an anvil and staple driver of the stapling head assembly. Various mechanisms for sealing the instrument are disclosed.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising:

a stapling head assembly including a staple holder for receiving one or more surgical staples, an anvil for clamping the tissue against said staple holder, and driver means for driving the staples from said staple holder;

an actuator handle assembly for actuating said staple driver;

a shaft assembly with a generally hollow interior and including a support shaft for mounting said stapling head assembly on said actuator handle assembly;

a tension member contained within said support shaft for transmitting tension from said actuator handle assembly to said anvil to resist the forces exerted on said anvil when the staples are formed;

a compression member contained within said support shaft for transmitting a compressive force from said actuator handle assembly to advance said staple driver to drive the staples from said staple holder into the tissue and to form the staples against said anvil; and

further containing a shrink wrap plastic seal placed around said shaft assembly, said shrink wrap plastic seal overlapping said shaft assembly and said actuator handle assembly such that said shrink wrap plastic seal prevents the passage of compressed air from the outside to the inside of said shaft assembly for a length of said shaft assembly and for a length of said actuator handle assembly which is overlapped by said shrink wrap plastic seal.

2. The stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said shaft assembly has an elastomeric seal contained within said hollow interior, said elastomeric seal placed around said tension and compression members.

3. The stapling instrument of claim 1 containing an elastomeric sealing apparatus placed around said tension member and held in place by said compression member.

4. The stapling instrument of claim 1 containing a casing for supporting said stapling head assembly, said casing including a hollow connector;

said shaft assembly including a hollow support shaft for mounting said casing thereon;

a ferrule overlapping said support shaft and said connector;

said ferrule being compressed radially inward over said support shaft and said connector; and

an O-ring placed between said ferrule and said shaft assembly.