Endoscopic stapler

• US 5,540,375 A
• Filed: 03/31/1995
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Bolanos, Henry, Pelletier, Thomas A., Sherts, Charles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US08/415,776
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175, 227/176, 227/178, 227/19
• US Class Current: 227/178.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/10 for applying or removing wound clamps, e.g. containing only one clamp or staple A61B17/076 takes precedence; containing multiple wound clamps A61B17/068; Wound clamp magazines containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or with special means for dispensing contents B65D83/00, B65D85/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1152 applying the staples on the outside of the lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1142 Purse-string sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2929 with a head rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the shaft

Abstract

An endoscopic or laparoscopic surgical instrument for applying fasteners to bodily tissue is disclosed. The instrument includes a handle assembly, an endoscopic portion and a jaw portion. The instrument is configured and dimensioned to be insertable through a cannula, and is useful for applying a purse string to bodily tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for applying fasteners to tissue comprising:

an endoscopic portion having a proximal end portion, a distal end portion and a longitudinal axis;

a pair of jaws extending generally longitudinally from the endoscopic distal end portion, each of the jaws having fastener carrying means for carrying surgical fasteners, wherein both the endoscopic portion and the jaws are adapted to be insertable into a cannula; and

a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed within the fastener carrying means of each jaw, each surgical fastener having a pair of legs joined by a backspan, wherein the fastener backspans are oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion and are ejected towards said longitudinal axis when the instrument is fired.

2. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fastener carrying means has a plurality of fastener receiving slots.

3. The instrument of claim 1, wherein the fastener carrying means is at least one cartridge having a plurality of fastener receiving slots.

4. The instrument of claim 1, wherein each jaw is movable between an open position and a closed position and wherein both jaws are in substantial parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion when in the closed position.

5. The instrument of claim 4, wherein the fastener legs are oriented toward the longitudinal axis when the jaws are in the closed position.

6. The instrument of claim 4, further comprising means for ejecting the fasteners from each jaw.

7. The instrument of claim 4, further comprising at least one cam member disposed in each jaw for sequentially ejecting the fasteners from each jaw.

8. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising anvilless means for deforming the fastener legs.

9. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising jaw pivoting means for pivoting the pair of jaws between open and closed positions.

10. The instrument of claim 1, wherein at least one of the jaws is pivotable relative to the proximal end portion of the endoscopic portion.

11. The instrument of claim 1, further comprising a handle assembly disposed at the proximal endoscopic end portion, the handle assembly having a stationary handle and a movable handle, wherein movement of the movable handle causes the jaws to pivot between open and closed positions.

12. A surgical instrument comprising:

an elongated portion having proximal and distal end portions and a longitudinal axis;

a pair of jaws extending generally longitudinally from the distal end portion, at least one of the jaws being movable relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated portion; and

a plurality of fasteners disposed within each jaw, wherein each fastener has a pair of legs joined by a backspan, each fastener backspan being oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion and wherein each fastener is ejected towards said longitudinal axis when the instrument is fired.

13. The instrument of claim 12, wherein each jaw is movable between an open position and a closed position and wherein both jaws are in substantial parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis of the endoscopic portion when in the closed position.

14. The instrument of claim 13, wherein each fastener has a pair of legs joined by a backspan and the fastener legs are oriented toward the longitudinal axis when the jaws are in the closed position.

15. The instrument of claim 12, further comprising anvilless means for deforming the fastener legs.

16. The instrument of claim 12, further comprising means for ejecting the fasteners from each jaw.

17. The instrument of claim 12, further comprising at least one cam member disposed in each jaw for sequentially ejecting the fasteners from each jaw.