Stapling apparatus having a curved anvil and driver

• US 7,210,609 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 05/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tools for Surgery, LLC
• Original Assignee: Tools for Surgery, LLC
• Inventors: Leiboff, Arnold R., Zipper, Joseph, Leiboff, Jay, Farrish, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): NASH, BRIAN D
• Application Number:
  US11/193,600
• Publication Number:
  US 20060049231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 227/180.1, 227/19, 227/179.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• 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 2017/111 with means for removing a constriction after performing anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1142 Purse-string sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips

Abstract

Stapler, in particular for hemorrhoidal use, includes a body, an elongate, fixed jaw part connected to the body and including a curved anvil defining staple-forming pockets and a curved portion defining an opening bound on lateral and longitudinal sides, an actuating jaw part including a curved staple driver and optionally a cutting knife, a trigger coupled to the body for actuating the actuating jaw part and an adjustment mechanism for moving the actuating jaw part to vary a longitudinal dimension of the opening defined between a staple cartridge and the anvil. When the actuating jaw part is actuated by the trigger, the staple driver forces staple blanks in the staple cartridge into staple-forming pockets of the anvil to form staples in tissue retained in the opening, while the cutting knife, when present, amputates the tissue.

Claims

1. An actuating portion of a surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a fixed jaw part including a non-linear anvil defining staple-forming pockets arranged in at least one row extending from one side of said anvil to an opposite side of said anvil, and a curved planar portion having a curved part and two rigid struts extending longitudinally from and being homogeneous with said curved part, each of said struts aligning with a respective one of sides of said anvil to thereby provide rigid longitudinal support for said anvil at two separate locations with said at least one row of staple-forming pockets of said anvil between said two locations, said struts defining an opening there between; and

an actuating jaw part including a non-linear staple driver having a plurality of tines adapted to align with staple blanks in a staple cartridge,

said actuating jaw part being arranged to actuate and cause said tines of said staple driver to force the staple blanks into said pockets of said anvil to thereby form staples in tissue retained in said opening.

2. The actuating portion of claim 1, wherein said actuating jaw part further comprises a nonlinear cutting knife arranged to amputate tissue retained in a cavity communicating with said opening substantially simultaneous with the formation of the staples in the tissue held between said fixed and actuating jaw parts.

3. The actuating portion of claim 2, wherein said cutting knife is arranged adjacent an inner surface of said actuating jaw part and said staple driver is arranged radially outward from said cutting knife such that staples are formed only radially outward relative to said cutting knife.

4. The actuating portion of claim 1, wherein said staple driver is movable longitudinally on, along or over said fixed jaw part.

5. The actuating portion of claim 1, wherein said staple driver is curved and said anvil has a arcuate form corresponding to the curvature of said staple driver.

6. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

the actuating portion of claim 5;

a body, said fixed jaw part being connected to said body and said actuating jaw part being movable relative to said body; and

a handle for said body arranged in a plane which intersects a plane which constitutes a base of an arc of said staple driver and said anvil.

7. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

the actuating portion of claim 5;

a body, said fixed jaw part being connected to said body and said actuating jaw part being movable relative to said body; and

a handle extending from said body in a direction which is the same as a direction of curvature of said anvil.

8. The actuating portion of claim 1, wherein said curved planar portion curves about a longitudinal axis of said fixed jaw part and has an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, said opening extending through said planar portion from said inner curved surface to said outer curved surface and being bound by said curved planar portion on all sides except for on said inner and outer curved surfaces.

9. The actuating portion of claim 8, wherein said staple driver is curved and movable longitudinally on, along or over said curved planar portion of said fixed jaw part toward said anvil.

10. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

the actuating portion of claim 1;

a body, said fixed jaw part being connected to said body;

a trigger coupled to said body for actuating said actuating jaw part; and

displacement means for moving said actuating jaw part to vary a longitudinal dimension of said opening.

11. The actuating portion of claim 10, wherein said curved planar portion curves about a longitudinal axis of said fixed jaw part and has an inner curved surface and an outer curved surface, said opening extending through said planar portion from said inner curved surface to said outer curved surface and being bound by said curved planar portion on all sides except for on said inner and outer curved surfaces.

12. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a body;

an elongate, fixed jaw part connected to said body and including a curvilinear anvil defining staple-forming pockets;

an actuating jaw part including an at least partially curvilinear staple carrying unit and movable toward said fixed jaw part;

displacement means for moving said actuating jaw part toward said fixed jaw part; and

a handle assembly including a handle and a trigger movable relative to said handle, said trigger being coupled to said body for actuating jaw part upon movement relative to said handle, said handle assembly being oriented in a first plane which is substantially perpendicular to a second plane tangential to an arc formed by a staple line defined by said staple carrying unit at the mid-point of the staple line,

said actuating jaw part being actuated by said trigger to cause said staple carrying unit to force staple blanks therein into said pockets of said anvil to thereby form staples in tissue retained in an opening defined by said fixed and actuating jaw parts.

13. The instrument of claim 12, wherein said fixed jaw part includes two rigid, longitudinally extending struts aligning at one end with spaced apart locations on said anvil and thereby providing rigid longitudinal support for said anvil at two separate locations, said struts defining said opening there between.

14. The instrument of claim 12, wherein said staple carrying unit includes a curved staple driver which is movable longitudinally on, along or over part of said fixed jaw part toward said anvil.

15. The instrument of claim 14, said actuating jaw part further comprises a curvilinear cutting knife arranged to amputate tissue retained in a cavity communicating with said opening substantially simultaneous with the formation of the staples in the tissue held between said fixed and actuating jaw parts.

16. The instrument of claim 15, wherein said cutting knife is arranged adjacent an inner surface of said actuating jaw part and said staple driver is arranged radially outward from said cutting knife such that staples are formed only radially outward relative to said cutting knife.

17. The instrument of claim 12, wherein said staple-forming pockets are arranged in at least one row extending from one side of said anvil to an opposite side of said anvil, said fixed jaw part including two rigid, longitudinally extending struts which provide rigid longitudinal support for said anvil at two separate locations with said at least one row of staple-forming pockets of said anvil between said two locations, said struts defining said opening there between.

18. The instrument of claim 12, wherein said trigger extends from said body in the same direction as said handle extends from said body.

19. An actuating portion of a surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a fixed jaw part including a non-linear anvil defining staple-forming pockets and two rigid, longitudinally extending struts aligning at one end with spaced apart locations on said anvil and thereby providing rigid longitudinal support for said anvil at two separate locations, said struts defining an opening there between; and

an actuating jaw part including a non-linear staple driver having a plurality of tines adapted to align with staple blanks in a staple cartridge,

said actuating jaw part being arranged to actuate and cause said tines of said staple driver to force the staple blanks into said pockets of said anvil to thereby form staples in tissue retained in said opening, said actuating jaw part further comprising a non-linear cutting knife arranged to amputate tissue retained in a cavity communicating with said opening,

said cutting knife being arranged adjacent an inner surface of said actuating jaw part and said staple driver being arranged radially outward from said cutting knife such that staples are formed only radially outward relative to said cutting knife.

20. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a body;

an elongate, fixed jaw part connected to said body and including a curvilinear anvil defining staple forming pockets and defining an opening bound on lateral and longitudinal sides;

an actuating jaw part including an at least partially curvilinear staple carrying unit and movable longitudinally relative to said fixed jaw part alongside said opening;

a trigger coupled to said body for actuating said actuating jaw part;

displacement means for moving said actuating jaw part to vary a longitudinal dimension of said opening; and

a handle for said body arranged in a plane which intersects a plane which constitutes a base of an arc of said anvil and said staple carrying unit,

said actuating jaw part being actuated by said trigger to cause said staple carrying unit to force staple blanks therein into said pockets of said anvil to thereby form staples in tissue retained in said opening,

said staple carrying unit including a curved staple driver which is movable longitudinally on, along or over part of said fixed jaw part toward said anvil,

said actuating jaw part further comprising a curvilinear cutting knife arranged to amputate tissue retained in a cavity communicating with said opening,

said cutting knife being arranged adjacent an inner surface of said actuating jaw part and said staple driver being arranged radially outward from said cutting knife such that staples are formed only radially outward relative to said cutting knife.