Safety device for a surgical stapler cartridge

• US 5,680,983 A
• Filed: 06/06/1995
• Issued: 10/28/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Plyley, Alan K., Barker, John M., Petrich, Robert W., Foslien, Floyd L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada, Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASHLEY, BOYER DOLINGER
• Application Number:
  US08/470,262
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/175.2, 227/175.3, 227/175.4, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 227/8, 227/19
• US Class Current: 227/175.3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0801 Prevention of accidental cutting or pricking
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use

Abstract

The present invention provides a staple cartridge assembly adapted for use in a surgical stapler having a cartridge retention portion and an anvil portion which are movable between a closed position and an open position. The cartridge assembly comprises (1) a firing assembly for firing staples which is movable between a pre-fired and a fired position, (2) a safety member, (3) means mounting the safety member on the cartridge assembly for movement between a free-movement position which affords movement of the cartridge retention portion and the anvil portion between the open and closed position and a blocking position which prevents the cartridge retention portion and the anvil portion from being moved to the closed position, and (4) means for releasably retaining the safety member in the free-movement position and for releasing the safety member to afford movement of the safety member toward the blocking position when the firing assembly is moved from the pre-fired to the fired position such that upon movement of the cartridge retention portion and anvil portion to the open position, the safety member prevents the cartridge portion and the anvil portion from thereafter being moved to the closed position while the stapler is loaded with the spent cartridge.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge assembly adapted for use in a surgical stapler having first and second structural members each being elongate in a first direction and each comprising a handle part having first and second ends and a jaw part projecting from said first end,

said structural members having pivot means at said second ends adapted for free engagement and disengagement in a plane normal to said first direction for affording, when engaged, relative pivotal movement of said structural members between a closed position with said jaw parts in closely spaced relationship, and an open position with said jaw parts spaced farther from each other than in said closed position, said handle parts of said structural members in said closed position defining a space between said handle parts over the majority of the distance between said first and second ends when said structural members are in said closed position;

an elongate locking member having first and second ends, a safety stop surface adjacent the first end of the locking member, and a pivot point closely adjacent the first end of the locking member, the pivot point of said locking member being mounted on said second structural member adjacent the first end of said second structural member for pivotal movement between a locking position generally aligned with the handle part of said second structural member, and a release position with the second end of said locking member spaced from the second end of said second structural member, said first end of said locking member and said first end of said first structural member having surfaces adapted, when said pivot means are engaged with said structural members in said open position, for engagement during movement of said locking member from said release position to said locking position to forcefully move said structural members to said closed position,

and means adapted for releasable engagement between said elongate locking member and said second structural member for holding said locking member in said locking position;

said first structural member being adapted to receive said staple cartridge assembly and said jaw part of said second structural member being adapted to receive an anvil;

wherein said staple cartridge assembly comprises;

a cartridge housing for enclosing a plurality of staples,

a pusher for sequentially pressing said plurality of staples within said cartridge housing against said anvil to engage and close the plurality of staples in tissues between said jaw parts when said structural members are in said closed position, said pusher being movable in said first direction between a retracted position with said plurality of staples enclosed within said cartridge housing and an extended position with said plurality of staples closed within tissue,

manually actuatable means within said space between said handle parts for moving said pusher from said retracted to said extended position, and

a safety body having first and second ends, said safety body having a shoulder surface between said first and second ends and an abutment surface generally adjacent said second end adapted to abut said safety stop surface,

pivotal mounting means for mounting said first end of said safety body on said cartridge housing for pivotal movement of said safety body between a pre-fired position for affording movement of said structural members between said closed and open position and a fired position with said abutment surface of said safety body adapted to be in engagement with said safety stop surface,

biasing means adapted to be received by said shoulder surface of said safety body for biasing said safety body toward said fired position,

means for releasable engagement between said biasing means and said pusher for retaining said biasing means in a disengaged position when said pusher is in said retracted position and for releasing said biasing means to afford movement of said safety body toward said fired position under the influence of said biasing means when said pusher is moved from said retracted position toward said extended position,

wherein after said pusher has been moved from said retracted position to said extended position, said biasing means has moved said safety body from said pre-fired position toward said fired position, and said first and second structural members are moved from said closed to said open position, said abutment surface will be in a position to prevent said first and second structural members from being moved to said closed position to thereby prevent accidental tissue trauma.

2. An apparatus for applying at least one row of surgical fasteners comprising:

a) a first cartridge section for receiving a cartridge containing at least two rows of fasteners and having a tissue contacting surface defining a first plane, the first cartridge section having a longitudinal axis;

b) a second anvil section for mating with the first cartridge section to clamp tissue therebetween;

c) an advancing mechanism including at least one cam bar for firing the fasteners and a knife bar for cutting tissue adjacent the rows of fasteners, the advancing mechanism being movable from a proximal position to a distal position to fire the fasteners; and

d) a pivotal latch member of generally elongate configuration mounted for movement with respect to the cartridge and being in an initial engaged position oriented transverse to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge section and spaced from a distal end thereof, the latch member being movable within a second plane about a single axis of rotation between said initial engaged position and a second disengaged position, wherein said second plane is perpendicular to said axis of rotation of the latch member and transverse to the first plane defined by the tissue contacting surface, and wherein movement of the advancing mechanism to a predetermined distance in a distal direction disengages the latch member for pivotal movement from the initial engaged position to the second disengaged position.

3. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the latch member is positioned proximal of a proximal-most fastener in the rows of fasteners.

4. An apparatus as recited in claim 3, wherein the blocking member includes retention surfaces for releasably engaging the latch member.

5. An apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein the latch member retains a spring biased blocking member in a non-blocking position when said latch member is in said initial engaged position.

6. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein the blocking member includes an abutment surface for engaging a safety stop surface defined on the anvil section.

7. An apparatus as recited in claim 5, said spring is a torsion spring which biases the blocking member toward a blocking position wherein the first cartridge section is blocked from mating with the second anvil section.

8. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the blocking member is mounted for rotation into the blocking position about an axis which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge section.

9. An apparatus as recited in claim 7, wherein the blocking member is mounted for rotation into the blocking position about an axis which extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the cartridge section.

10. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the single pivot point about which the latch member is mounted to move defines an axis which is parallel to the axis about which the blocking member rotates.

11. An apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein the single pivot point about which the latch member is mounted for rotation defines an axis which is parallel to the axis about which the blocking member rotates.

12. An apparatus for applying at least one row of surgical fasteners comprising:

a) a cartridge half section having a longitudinal axis and having a cartridge mounted therein, the cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners arranged in at least one linear row and a tissue contacting surface defining a first plane;

b) an anvil half section including an anvil having a plurality of depressions to deform the surgical fasteners;

c) an advancing mechanism including a knife to cut tissue and a pair of cam bars slidable in a longitudinal direction to fire the fasteners in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis; and

d) a lockout mechanism including a latch member mounted at a single pivot point to the cartridge, the latch member being rotatable within a second plane around an axis of rotation from a first position substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis to a second position, the second plane being perpendicular to the axis of rotation and transverse to the first plane, the latch member retaining a spring biased blocking member in a non-blocking position, wherein initial movement of the firing mechanism in a distal direction to fire the fasteners and cut tissue rotates the latch member to the second position, thereby allowing the blocking member to move toward the anvil half section into a blocking position.

13. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the latch member is positioned proximal of a proximal-most fastener in the linear row of fasteners.

14. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the latch member includes retention surfaces for releasably engaging the blocking member.

15. An apparatus as recited in claim 14, wherein the blocking member includes retention surfaces for releasably engaging the latch member.

16. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein the blocking member includes an abutment surface for engaging a safety stop surface defined on the anvil section adjacent a proximal end of the anvil.

17. An apparatus as recited in claim 12, wherein a torsion spring biases the blocking member toward the blocking position wherein the first cartridge section is blocked from mating with the second anvil section.

18. An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners comprising:

a) an elongated first jaw member having a distal channel portion configured to support a staple carrying cartridge which houses a plurality of surgical fasteners;

b) an elongated second jaw member configured to support an anvil which defines a fastener forming surface against which fasteners ejected from the cartridge are driven, the first and second jaw members being configured to removably mate with one another in such a manner so that the cartridge and the anvil are arranged in close cooperative alignment;

c) an actuation mechanism associated with a proximal portion of the first jaw member and mounted for movement through the cartridge in a longitudinal direction to sequentially eject surgical fasteners from the cartridge to be driven against the fastener forming surface of the anvil; and

d) a blocking mechanism mounted for movement toward the second jaw member into a blocking position when the fasteners have been ejected and while the cartridge is disposed within the distal channel portion of the first jaw member, the blocking mechanism in the blocking position spanning a gap defined between the first and second jaw members to prevent subsequent arrangement of the cartridge and the anvil in close cooperative alignment.

19. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising biasing means for urging the blocking mechanism toward said blocking position.

20. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising retaining means for maintaining the blocking mechanism in a non-blocking position prior to moving the actuation mechanism through the cartridge to eject fasteners therefrom.

21. An apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein the retaining means includes a latch member having retention surfaces for releasably engaging the blocking mechanism.

22. An apparatus as recited in claim 18, further comprising a cutting member operatively associated with the actuation mechanism and movable through the cartridge in conjunction therewith for incising tissue.