Integrated surgical staple retainer for a full thickness resectioning device

• US 6,866,178 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 03/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Adams, Ronald D., Sullivan, Roy H., Nunez, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US10/746,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20040134964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/175.2, 227/175.3, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 227/156, 606/219
• US Class Current: 227/175.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07221 curved
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/038 during shipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a full-thickness resection system comprising a flexible endoscope and a stapling mechanism, wherein the endoscope is slidably received through at least a portion of the stapling mechanism. The stapling mechanism includes an anvil and a stapling head mounted to the anvil so that the anvil and the stapling head are moveable with respect to one another. A position adjusting mechanism is provided for moving the anvil and the stapling head relative to one another.

An integrated surgical retainer for use in the full thickness resectioning device is described. The integrated surgical staple retainer comprises a calibrating portion, a retaining portion, and a grasping portion. The calibrating portion defines a circular opening which has a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of a working channel of the full thickness resectioning device. The retaining portion has a lower surface adapted to limit movement of the surgical staples in the full thickness resectioning device and is adjacent to the calibrating portion of the integrated surgical staple retainer.

Claims

1. A staple retainer for an endoscopic full thickness resection system, comprising:

a retaining member including a positioning element which, when engaged by a corresponding structure in the full thickness resection system maintains the retaining member in a predetermined position covering staple firing slits of a stapling mechanism of the full thickness resection system to prevent surgical staples from being displaced therefrom;

a calibrating opening, a shape and size of calibrating opening corresponding to a shape and size of an endoscope receiving lumen in the full thickness resection system for determining whether an endoscope is suitably sized to pass through the endoscope receiving lumen; and

a grasping portion connected to the retaining portion so that a user grasping the grasping portion may remove the retaining portion from the predetermined position to uncover the staple filing slits of the full thickness resection system.

2. The staple retainer of claim 1, wherein the calibration opening is substantially circular.

3. The staple retainer of claim 1, wherein the retaining portion comprises a plurality of protrusions that engage a corresponding structure in the stapling mechanism to hold the staple retainer in the predetermined position.

4. The staple retainer of claim 3, wherein the protrusions are formed as substantially hollow ridges.

5. The staple retainer of claim 1, wherein the retaining portion comprises a plurality of grooves that engage a corresponding structure in the stapling mechanism to hold the staple retainer in the predetermined position.

6. A staple retainer for a system for full thickness resection of tissue from within a body, comprising:

a substantially semi-circular retaining member extending from a base, the base extending substantially within a plane perpendicular to the wall, wherein, when the surgical staple retainer is in an operative configuration within a full thickness resection system, the retaining member covers staple openings of a stapling mechanism of the full thickness resection system;

a calibrating opening formed in the retaining member, the calibrating opening having a size and shape corresponding to a size and shape of an endoscope receiving lumen of the full thickness resection system; and

a grasping portion coupled to the base so that a user may grasp the surgical staple retainer thereby and withdraw the staple retainer from the operative configuration to expose the staple openings for operation of the full thickness resection system.

7. The staple retainer of claim 6, wherein, when the staple retainer is in the operative configuration, the calibrating opening extends outside the full-thickness resection system.