Surgical instrument having an articulated jaw structure and a detachable knife

• US 6,716,232 B1
• Filed: 03/13/1998
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Plyley, Alan K., Lagerquist, Roger, Redmond, Russell J., Vidal, Claude A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thaler, Michael H.
• Application Number:
  US09/516,603
• Time in Patent Office: 2,216 Days
• Field of Search: 606/205-208, 606/210, 606/142, 813/47--51, 813/55, 811/12, 294/99.2, 227/180.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/901
• US Class Current: 606/205
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/282 Jaws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 characterised by its cutter

Abstract

A surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure includes a frame and two jaws. The jaws have proximal portions that are mounted to each other for movement in a substantially parallel relation between a fully open position wherein the jaws are separated for receiving tissue therebetween and an approximated position wherein the jaws are closer together. Preferably, the jaws are in the fully open position when the distal portion of at least of the jaws is located in an extended position and are in the approximated position when the distal portion of the extended jaw or jaws is located in a retracted position. The surgical instrument may further include a detachable knife assembly and knife actuating mechanism.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure for capturing tissue of a body, the surgical instrument comprising:

a frame having a proximal end and a distal end, said frame defining an axial direction;

a first jaw having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the first jaw extending from the distal end of the frame;

a second jaw having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the second jaw extending from the distal end of the frame;

one of said first and second jaws having a staple cartridge for holding a plurality of staples adapted to be inserted in the tissue;

the proximal portions of the first and second jaws mounted to each other for movement in a substantially parallel relation at least partially during movement between a fully open position wherein the distal portions of the jaws are separated for receiving tissue therebetween and an approximated position wherein the distal portions of the jaws are closer together for capturing said tissue, the jaws being in the fully open position when at least one of the jaws is moved distally with respect to the frame and being in the approximated position when at least one of the jaws is moved proximally with respect to the frame; and

an actuating mechanism including an actuating rod positioned within the frame, the actuating rod being connected to at least one of the jaws and being movable to move the jaws between the open and approximated positions.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the first jaw is fixed relative to the frame and the second jaw is movable between the extended and retracted positions.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 wherein the proximal portion of the first jaw includes a first pin and a first link for mounting the proximal portion of the first jaw to the proximal portion of the second jaw, the link having a first end and a second end, the first end pivotally mounted to the proximal portion of the first jaw and the second end having a link pin, the first pin and the link pin received in a first slot and a second slot, respectively, of the proximal portion of the second jaw.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein the first slot is located distally of the second slot.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein the first slot extends proximally toward the first jaw and wherein the second slot has a proximal portion and a distal portion that form a tilted L-shape, the proximal portion extending proximally towards the first jaw and the distal portion extending distally towards the first jaw.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 2 further comprising a cam means for urging the jaws to their fully open position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 2 further comprising a biasing means for urging the jaws to their approximated position.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein both jaws are moveable between the extended and retracted positions.

9. A surgical instrument of claim 8 wherein the frame is a tubular frame and the proximal portions of the jaws are pivotally mounted to each other within the tubular frame about a pivot pin mounted transversely within the tubular frame.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 wherein the movement of the jaws is in two parts, a first part wherein the jaws pivot relative to each other between the fully open position and an intermediate position and a second part wherein the jaws move in substantially parallel relation between the intermediate and approximated positions, said jaws being axially moveable within the tabular frame by the actuating mechanism during the second part of the jaw movement.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising a knife assembly having a knife blade defining a cutting edge, one of said jaws defining a longitudinal slit for receiving the knife assembly such that the cutting edge of the knife blade is permitted move longitudinally in the slit when the jaws are in the approximated position.

12. A surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure for capturing tissue of a body, the surgical instrument comprising:

a frame having an outer end;

a first jaw having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the first jaw extending from the outer end of the frame;

a second jaw having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the distal portion of the second jaw extending from the outer end of the frame;

one of said first and second jaws adapted to receive a staple cartridge for holding a plurality of staples adapted to be inserted in the tissue;

the proximal portions of the first and second jaws mounted to each other for movement in a substantially parallel relation at least partially during movement between a fully open position wherein the distal portions of the jaws are separated for receiving tissue therebetween and an approximated position wherein the distal portions of the jaws are closer together for capturing said tissue;

at least one of said jaws being further moveable between an extended position when the at least one of said jaws is moved distally with respect to the frame and the jaws are in one of the fully open and approximated positions, and a retracted position when at least one of said jaws is moved proximally with respect to the frame and the jaws are in the other of the fully open and approximated positions; and

an actuating mechanism connected to the at least one of said jaws being further movable, the actuating mechanism and the at least one of said jaws being axially movable to move the jaws between the open and approximated positions.

13. A endoscopic surgical instrument with articulated jaw structure, the surgical instrument comprising:

a handle portion;

an elongated endoscopic body portion extending distally from the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis, the body portion being axially fixed with respect to the handle portion;

first and second jaw members connected to each other for movement between open and closed positions, and extending from a distal end of the elongated body portion, the first jaw member having a staple cartridge;

an actuating member connected to one of the first and second jaw members, the actuating member being movable to move at least one of the first and second jaw members axially to move the jaw members between the open and closed positions; and

wherein the jaw members are in the open position when the at least one of the jaw members and the actuating member are moved distally with respect to the elongated body portion and the jaw members are in the closed position when at least one of the jaw members and the actuating member are moved proximally with respect to the elongated body portion.

14. An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising:

a handle portion;

an endoscopic body portion fixed relative to the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis; and

a pair of juxtaposed jaw members remotely actuable from the handle portion and mounted for reciprocal longitudinal movement relative to the body portion and the handle portion between a first position wherein the jaws are in spaced relation and a second position wherein the jaws are in close relation, one of said jaw members being adapted to receive a staple cartridge for supporting a plurality of staples.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further comprising a staple cartridge disposed in the one of the jaw members, an anvil surface formed in the other of the jaw members and a firing mechanism actuable from the handle portion for firing the staples.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 15, wherein the firing mechanism fires the staples sequentially.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 14, further comprising a knife assembly mounted for longitudinal movement with respect to the staple cartridge.

18. A surgical instrument comprising:

a handle portion;

a body portion fixed to the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis;

a tool portion remotely actuable from the handle portion, the tool portion having an anvil jaw and a cartridge jaw containing a cartridge with staples, the cartridge jaw being mounted for reciprocal longitudinal movement relative to the body portion and handle portion between a first position wherein the jaws are in a closed position and a second position wherein the jaw members are in an open position;

an actuating mechanism connected to the cartridge jaw, the actuating mechanism being movable to move the jaws between the open and the closed positions; and

a firing mechanism actuable from the handle portion to fire the staples from the cartridge jaw when the jaws are in the closed position.

19. The surgical instrument of claim 18, wherein the cartridge is e cartridge jaw.

20. An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising:

an elongated body portion defining a longitudinal axis;

a distal tool portion having first and second jaw members and extending from a distal end of the elongated body portion, a proximal end of at least one of the jaw members having at least one camming slot, a distal end of one of the jaw members having a staple supply;

an actuating portion having at least one bearing post slidably engageable by the at least one camming slot, the actuating portion being longitudinally movable with respect to the elongated body portion to effect longitudinal movement of at least one of the jaw members with respect to the elongated body portion; and

wherein the jaw members open and close in response to the longitudinal movement.

21. In a surgical instrument configured for capturing tissue, the surgical instrument including an elongated body portion extending distally from a handle portion and a distal tool portion supported by the elongated body portion and having a staple supply, the improvement comprising the distal tool portion having first and second jaw members extending from a distal end of the elongated body portion, one of the jaw members being adaptable to receive a staple cartridge, and an actuating portion connected to at least one of the jaw members and being longitudinally movable to cause longitudinal movement of the at least one jaw member with respect to the elongated body portion, wherein the jaw members open and close in response to the longitudinal movement.

22. An endoscopic surgical instrument comprising:

a handle portion;

an endoscopic body portion fixed to the handle portion and defining a longitudinal axis;

an actuation assembly disposed at least partially in the body portion and actuable by the handle portion; and

a pair of juxtaposed jaw members connected to the actuation assembly and remotely actuable by the actuation assembly from the handle portion to move at least one of the jaw members longitudinally with respect to the body portion and the handle portion to sequentially move the jaw members to a first predetermined degree of approximation and subsequently to a second progressive predetermined degree of approximation, one of said jaw members being adapted to receive a staple cartridge for holding a plurality of staples.

23. The surgical instrument of claim 22, wherein said actuation assembly includes at least two substantially longitudinally aligned camming slots.

24. The surgical instrument of claim 22, wherein the actuation assembly sequentially pivots the jaws into substantially parallel alignment with the longitudinal axis.

25. The surgical instrument of claim 24, wherein subsequent to the pivotal movement, the jaws are moved into parallel closure by the actuation assembly.

26. The surgical instrument of claim 22, wherein the jaw members are mounted for reciprocal longitudinal movement relative to the body portion.

27. The surgical instrument of claim 22, wherein the jaw members include an anvil jaw.