Surgical instrument

• US 5,632,432 A
• Filed: 12/19/1994
• Issued: 05/27/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Schulze, Dale R., Zeiner, Mark S., Fox, William D., Setser, Michael E., Wales, Kenneth S., Paraschac, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US08/359,107
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/180.1, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/179.1
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00309 Cut-outs or slits
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00535 pneumatically or hydraulically operated A61B2017/22051, A61B2090/401 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2913 cams or guiding means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2933 camming or guiding means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2946 Locking means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking

Abstract

A surgical instrument for performing endoscopic surgical procedures. In one embodiment, the instrument includes a knife that remains unexposed until initiation of a cutting sequence, and returns to an unexposed position at the conclusion of the cutting sequence, minimizing the risk of injury to the person handling the instrument. In another embodiment, the instrument includes a flexible neck for articulating a surgical head assembly with respect to the shaft of the instrument. In another embodiment, a device for locking the articulated head at an angle of articulation is provided. In yet another embodiment, a mechanism for opening and closing an anvil assembly is disclosed.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument for applying one or more surgical fasteners to tissue, comprising a fastener applying assembly, a handle, and a shaft:

said fastener applying assembly including cartridge means for holding one or more surgical fasteners, driver means for driving said surgical fasteners into the tissue, and means for forming said surgical fasteners about the tissue including an anvil assembly, said anvil assembly and cartridge means being closeable with respect to one another in order to clamp said tissue there-between;

said handle including means for closing and opening said anvil and said cartridge means with respect to one another, said handle being mounted to the proximal end of said shaft;

said fastener applying assembly further including tissue cutting means actuable by said driver means, said cartridge means including means for positioning and retaining said tissue cutting means in an unexposed position relative to said cartridge means upon completion of a cutting sequence by said tissue cutting means;

wherein said tissue cutting means includes a knife sled slideably received by said cartridge means during said cutting sequence, said knife sled being coupled to wedge means for driving said surgical fasteners into the tissue, said knife sled and wedge means being actuable by said driver means in performing a tissue cutting;

wherein said knife sled includes means for maintaining said knife sled in said unexposed position until initiation of said cutting sequence, whereupon said knife sled is forced into a cutting orientation; and

wherein said means maintaining said knife sled in said unexposed position includes said means for pivotally coupling said knife sled to said wedge means, said pivot means comprising a pin riding in an inclined slot in said knife sled, said pivot means allowing said knife sled to assume an unexposed position at the initiation of said cutting sequence, and further allowing said knife sled to pivot into a cutting orientation upon said pin reaching a distal end of said inclined slot.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein said cartridge means is removable from said instrument, and said instrument is adapted to receive replacement cartridge means.