Surgical stapling instrument

• US 5,993,464 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Knodel, Bryan D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): HO, TAN-UYEN THI
• Application Number:
  US09/012,875
• Time in Patent Office: 676 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/153, 606/150, 606/151, 227/19, 227/180, 227/179
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1139 Side-to-side connections, e.g. shunt or X-connections

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a surgical device for joining a first and a second vessel together and creating a passageway therebetween. The device includes an implement which has proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween. The implement has a bottom member and a top member which are substantially coextensive. The top and bottom members are pivoted together at the proximal end so that a wall of each of the first and second vessels can be held between the top and bottom portions. The device includes a mechanism for joining the first and second vessels together along two joining lines which are substantially parallel to each other and to the longitudinal axis of the implement. The lines have distal and proximal ends. The device further includes a blade for severing the first and second vessels between the joining lines so as to create a passageway through the vessels. The blade operates such that it is able to cut the vessels along a cut line which has a proximal end that is distal to the proximal ends of the joining lines, and a distal end that is proximal to the distal ends of the joining lines.

Claims

1. A surgical device for joining a first and a second vessel together, said device comprising:

a) an implement having proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, said implement having a bottom member and a top member which are substantially coextensive and are pivoted together at said proximal end so that a wall of each of said first and second vessels can be held between said top and bottom portions;

b) a means for joining said first and second vessels together along two joining lines substantially parallel to each other and to said longitudinal axis of said implement, said lines having distal and proximal ends; and

c) a knife having a longitudinal cutting edge for severing said first and second vessels between said joining lines so as to create a passageway through said vessels, said means for severing said vessels is able to cut said vessels along a cut line having a proximal end distal to said proximal ends of said joining lines, and a distal end proximal to said distal ends of said joining lines.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein said a means for joining said first and second vessels along two joining lines comprises a means for applying a plurality of staples so as to join said vessels along said joining lines.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein said means for applying said plurality of staples along said joining lines moves longitudinally such that said staples are first applied at the proximal ends of said join lines and continue to the distal end of said joining lines.

4. The device according to claim 3 wherein said means for severing said first and second vessels operates longitudinally such that said vessels are first severed at the proximal end of said cut line and continues to the distal end of said cut lines.

5. The device according to claim 4 wherein said means for severing said first and second vessels severs said vessels along said cut line after said staples have been applied to corresponding locations along said joining lines.