Surgical stapler with a bendable end effector
First Claim
1. A surgical stapler, comprising:
- an elongate housing having a handle portion; and
an end effector coupled to the distal end of the housing and including a first jaw having a supply of staples and a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, the end effector having an adjustable configuration to enable selection of a shape for driving staples through tissue grasped between the jaws in a pattern conforming to the selected shape, wherein the handle portion of the housing controls adjustment of the end effector to the selected shape.
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Abstract
A surgical stapler having a selectively bendable end effector is provided. A staple holding jaw of the end effector is coupled to another jaw for grasping tissue to be stapled. The stapler can adapted to drive staples into tissue having a pattern conforming with the selected shape of the end effector. In particular, the end effector can be adapted to drive staples in a linear pattern when the end effector orients staples in a substantially linear configuration. The end effector can also be adapted to drive staples in a non linear pattern when the end effector orients staples in a non linear configuration. Methods of stapling tissue with a stapler having a bendable end effector are also discussed.
1763 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A surgical stapler, comprising:
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an elongate housing having a handle portion; and an end effector coupled to the distal end of the housing and including a first jaw having a supply of staples and a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, the end effector having an adjustable configuration to enable selection of a shape for driving staples through tissue grasped between the jaws in a pattern conforming to the selected shape, wherein the handle portion of the housing controls adjustment of the end effector to the selected shape. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A surgical stapler, comprising:
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a handle; an elongate connector coupled to the handle at a proximal end of the connector; two jaws coupled to the distal end of the connector, the jaws movably coupled together for grasping tissue to be stapled, at least one jaw adapted to carry a supply of staples, at least one jaw having an adjustable configuration to enable selection of a shape for applying staples to tissue in the selected shape and being bendable into the selected shape by the handle in a first plane and being stiffer in at least one orthogonal plane relative to the first plane. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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Specification