Disposable loading unit for surgical stapler

• US 5,911,353 A
• Filed: 03/18/1998
• Issued: 06/15/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/1995
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Alim, Alli, Milliman, Keith L., Bolanos, Henry, McClure, Richard C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US09/044,041
• Time in Patent Office: 454 Days
• Field of Search: 227/180.1, 227/175.1, 227/19, 227/176.1
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• 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 2017/32113 with extendable or retractable guard or blade

Abstract

A disposable loading unit is disclosed for use in conjunction with a surgical stapling apparatus configured to sequentially apply a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue. The apparatus includes an actuation assembly for effectuating a fastener applying operation, and a housing for receiving and releasably supporting the disposable loading unit. The disposable loading unit includes a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots defined therein each supporting a respective surgical fastener, a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway, and an actuator supported within the staple cartridge body and configured to engage the actuation assembly of the apparatus and translate through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots.

Claims

1. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a) a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots defined therein, each supporting a respective surgical fastener;

b) a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway;

c) an actuator at least partially disposed within the staple cartridge body and configured to be translated through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots, the actuator including a base portion defining a plane and having at least two upstanding parallel cam plates each defining an angled leading edge for contacting the fastener ejection members;

d) a cutting member configured to translate through the staple cartridge body, the cutting member having a blade and a blade support, the blade support including a camming surface spaced from the blade configured to interact with an abutment surface defined within a distal end portion of the staple cartridge body, wherein the staple cartridge body includes a planar tissue contacting surface through which extends a linear slot to accommodate translation of the cutting member, the planar tissue contacting surface defining a tissue contacting plane, the cutting member intersecting the tissue contacting plane during the translation thereof, and moving out of intersection with the tissue contacting plane when the camming surface of the cutting member contacts the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body.

2. A disposable loading unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting member is pivotably supported at least partially within the staple cartridge body.

3. A disposable loading unit according to claim 2, wherein the cutting member is pivotably supported by the actuator about a pivot axis located distally of the blade.

4. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a) a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and at least two rows of spaced apart retention slots defined therein, each slot supporting a respective surgical fastener, the staple cartridge body defining a planar tissue contacting surface having a linear slot extending therethrough, the staple cartridge body further defining an abutment surface formed near a distal end thereof;

b) a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway;

c) an actuator at least partially disposed within the staple cartridge body, the actuator having;

i) a base portion; and

ii) at least two upstanding parallel cam plates extending from a base portion, each of the at least two cam plates defining an angled leading edge, such that the angled leading edges are longitudinally aligned with the at least two rows of spaced apart retention slots so as to contact the fastener ejection members upon translational movement of the actuator through the longitudinal pathway and to thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots; and

d) a cutting member pivotably mounted with respect to the actuator and translatably slidable with the actuator in the linear slot of the staple cartridge body, the cutting member having a blade and a flange including an upper surface which interacts with the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body, the flange being spaced distally of the blade, the cutting member being pivotable from a first position intersecting a tissue contacting plane defined by the planar tissue cutting surface, to a second position out of intersection with the tissue contacting plane, the cutting member being pivotable to the second position when the camming surface of the cutting member contacts the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body.