Surgical staples having compressible or crushable members for securing tissue therein and stapling instruments for deploying the same

• US 7,794,475 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ortiz, Mark S, Morgan, Jerome R., Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Voegele, James W., Hess, Christopher J., Swayze, Jeffrey S., Stokes, Michael J., Weisenburgh, William B. II, Shurtleff, Carl
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho; (Jackie) Tan-Uyen T
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, PHONG SON H
• Application Number:
  US11/541,123
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,446 Days
• Field of Search: 606/75, 606/216, 606219-221, 606/139, 606/142, 606/151, 606/157, 623/2.36, 623/2.37, 623/2.4, 411/457, 411/469, 411/475, 411/473, 227/175.1
• US Class Current: 606/219
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• 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 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• 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 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 : with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 : Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 : pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A staple having a crown, a deformable leg extending from the crown, and a spring extending from the crown configured to compress tissue between the spring and the deformable member. Owing to the flexibility of the spring, the staple can accommodate a wide range of tissue thicknesses while still compressing the tissue captured therein. As a result, a single staple design can be used in a wide variety of surgical procedures thereby reducing the amount of staple designs that must be provided to the surgeon. In at least one embodiment, the staple includes a crushable member. This crushable member can include a plastically deformable first portion and an elastically deformable second portion. The present invention can also include, in various embodiments, a crown, a first deformable member extending from the crown, and means for compressing the tissue against the first deformable member.

Claims

1. A surgical staple insertable into tissue, said staple comprising:

a wire comprising a base, wherein said wire is comprised of a first material;

a crown attached to and at least partially surrounding said base, wherein said crown is comprised of a second material which is different than said first material;

a first deformable member extending from said base, wherein said wire further comprises said first deformable member;

a second deformable member extending from said base, wherein said wire further comprises said second deformable member; and

a spring extending from said crown, said spring configured to bias said tissue against at least one of said first deformable member and said second deformable member, said spring extending intermediate said first deformable member and said second deformable member;

wherein said spring comprises a cantilever extending from said crown;

wherein said cantilever comprises;

a first end attached to said crown;

a second end movable relative to said crown; and

a curved portion configured to contact tissue, wherein said curved portion is intermediate said first end and said second end;

wherein said spring comprises a cantilever extending from said crown;

wherein said cantilever comprises;

a first end attached to said crown;

a second end movable relative to said crown; and

a curved portion configured to contact tissue, wherein said curved portion is intermediate said first end and said second end.

2. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said spring includes a first end and a second end, said first end attached to said crown, said second end configured to move with respect to said first end.

3. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said spring includes a first end and a second end, and wherein said first and second ends are attached to said crown.

4. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said spring is comprised of foam.

5. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said spring includes a first elastic member and a second elastic member, said second elastic member positioned intermediate said first elastic member and said crown.

6. The surgical staple of claim 5, wherein said spring is integrally molded with said crown.

7. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein at least one of said spring and said crown are comprised of a bioabsorbable material.

21. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said curved portion comprises a convex portion extending away from said crown.

8. A surgical staple deformable between a first shape and a second shape, said staple comprising:

a crown;

a first deformable member extending from said crown; and

a crushable member, said crushable member positioned intermediate said first deformable member and said crown after said staple has been deformed into said second shape.

9. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein said crushable member is comprised of foam.

10. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein said crown is overmolded onto at least a portion of said first deformable member, and wherein said crushable member is integrally molded with said crown.

11. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein said crushable member includes a plastically deformable first portion and an elastically deformable second portion.

12. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein said crushable member is configured to bias tissue positioned intermediate said crushable member and said first deformable member against said first deformable member.

13. The surgical staple of claim 12, wherein said staple further includes a second deformable member extending from said crown, said crushable member configured to bias said tissue against said second deformable member.

14. The surgical staple of claim 8, wherein at least one of said crushable member and said crown are comprised of a bioabsorbable material.

15. A surgical staple insertable into tissue, said fastener comprising:

a wire comprising a base, wherein said wire is comprises of a first material;

a crown attached to and at least partially encompassing said base, wherein said crown is comprised of a second material which is different than said first material;

a first deformable member extending from said base, wherein said wire further comprises said first deformable member;

a second deformable member extending from said base, wherein said wire further comprises said second deformable member; and

compressing means for compressing said tissue against at least one of said first deformable member and said second deformable member;

wherein said cantilever comprises a first end attached to said crown;

a second end movable relative to said crown; and

a curved portion configured to contact tissue, wherein said curved portion is intermediate said first end and said second end;

wherein said compressing means comprises a cantilever extending from said crown, wherein said cantilever comprises a first end attached to said crown;

a second end movable relative to said crown; and

a curved portion configured to contact tissue, wherein said curved portion is intermediate said first end and said second end.

16. The surgical staple of claim 15, wherein said compressing means includes a first end and a second end, said first end attached to said crown, said second end configured to move with respect to said first end.

17. The surgical staple of claim 15, wherein said compressing means includes a first end and a second end, and wherein said first and second ends are attached to said crown.

18. The surgical staple of claim 15, wherein said compressing means is comprised of foam.

19. The surgical staple of claim 15, wherein said compressing means includes a first elastic member and a second elastic member, said second elastic member positioned intermediate said first elastic member and said crown.

20. The surgical staple of claim 19, wherein said surgical staple further includes a spring fastener, and wherein said spring fastener attaches said second elastic member to said crown.

22. The surgical staple of claim 15, wherein said curved portion comprises a convex portion extending away from said crown.