Endoscopic surgical instrument with pivotable and rotatable staple cartridge

• US 5,607,095 A
• Filed: 03/29/1995
• Issued: 03/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Bedi, James J., Sierocuk, Thomas J., Smith, Jack E., Graves, Thomas H. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STELACONE, JAY
• Application Number:
  US08/412,437
• Time in Patent Office: 706 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/177.1, 227/179.1
• US Class Current: 227/177.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3421 Cannulas
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2903 transferring rotary motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• 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

A surgical instrument is provided which is insertable through an endoscopic tube to enable a surgeon to perform a surgical technique inside a body cavity. The surgical instrument includes a shaft with a pivotally mounted tip attached thereto, the shaft extending from a handle for gripping the instrument for insertion to the body cavity. The tip of the shaft is adjustable to different angular orientations relative to the support shaft and is rotatable at any angular orientation of the tip. The support shaft may be rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the handle, or it may be fixed with respect to the handle, in which case the handle may be rotated to rotate the shaft inside the body cavity. In one embodiment, the surgical instrument comprises an endoscopic stapling device and the tip of the instrument comprises a staple cartridge which is rotatable 360° about its axes after the cartridge has been articulated with respect to the support shaft. An improved device for articulating the shaft tip is also provided in which a control knob is mounted to the support shaft for providing sweeping articulation of the shaft tip. Separate actuator mechanisms are provided on the handle to control the pivotal movement of the shaft tip, as well as the rotation of the shaft tip and the rotation of the support shaft.

Claims

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

a handle including a staple actuator mechanism;

a tubular support shaft having a longitudinal axis 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 rotation relative to said support shaft to permit the rotational orientation of said staple cartridge to be adjusted;

pivot means for articulating said staple cartridge relative to said support shaft;

means for retaining said staple cartridge in different rotational orientations as said staple cartridge is rotated;

means for retaining said staple cartridge in different articulated orientations as said staple cartridge is articulated;

first control means proximate said handle for rotating said staple cartridge relative to said support shaft;

second control means proximate said handle for articulating said staple cartridge relative to said support shaft;

a first external sleeve rotatably positioned on said tubular support shaft; and

a second external sleeve engaging said staple cartridge, said first external sleeve means having a distal end terminating proximate said pivot means, said second external sleeve means having a proximal end terminating proximate said pivot means, said distal and proximal sleeve ends engaging one another for transferring rotational movement from said first external sleeve to said second external sleeve and to said staple cartridge.

2. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said distal and proximal sleeve ends comprise interconnecting teeth positioned about said first and second external sleeves.

3. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said distal and proximal sleeve ends comprise frictional annular flanges.

4. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said distal end of said first sleeve includes a first band of adhesive film fastened about said first sleeve proximate said pivot means, wherein said proximal end of said second sleeve includes a second band of adhesive film fastened about said second sleeve proximate said pivot means, and said stapling instrument further includes a plurality of film strips joining said first band and second band, said film strips positioned about said pivot means and transferring rotational forces from said first sleeve to said second sleeve to.

5. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 4 wherein said film strips are aligned substantially parallel to said longitudinal axis of said support tube.

6. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 5 wherein said bands and film strips comprise a unitary piece of generally rectangular adhesive film.

7. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 1, which further includes:

staple driver means for coupling said staple actuator mechanism to a staple forming mechanism and actuating said staple forming mechanism in any angular position of said staple cartridge.

8. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 7, wherein said staple driver means comprises:

a staple driver slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in said support shaft and coupled to said staple actuator mechanism; and

a plunger slidably mounted on said pivot means and actuated by the longitudinal movement of said staple driver for actuating the staple forming mechanism when said staple actuator mechanism is operated.

9. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 1, which further includes:

an articulation driver slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in said support shaft for connecting said actuator mechanism to said pivot means to pivot said staple cartridge relative to said support shaft.

10. The endoscopic stapling instrument of claim 9 wherein:

said articulation driver includes a guide pin at its distal end received in an arcuate groove in said pivot means for converting the longitudinal movement of said articulation driver into pivotal movement of said staple cartridge relative to said support shaft.