Cartridge for applying varying amounts of tissue compression
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
- an end effector including an operative tool defining a longitudinal axis, the operative tool having an anvil including an anvil tissue contacting surface and a cartridge including a first and second cartridge tissue contacting surfaces, each of the first and second cartridge contacting surfaces including retention slots for the retention of surgical fasteners therein, the anvil and the cartridge defining a first gap between the first cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface and a second gap between the second cartridge tissue contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the first gap defining a first distance between the first cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the second gap defining a second distance between the second cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the first distance different than the second distance, the first gap and the second gap being spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the end effector.
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Abstract
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A surgical instrument, comprising:
an end effector including an operative tool defining a longitudinal axis, the operative tool having an anvil including an anvil tissue contacting surface and a cartridge including a first and second cartridge tissue contacting surfaces, each of the first and second cartridge contacting surfaces including retention slots for the retention of surgical fasteners therein, the anvil and the cartridge defining a first gap between the first cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface and a second gap between the second cartridge tissue contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the first gap defining a first distance between the first cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the second gap defining a second distance between the second cartridge contacting surface and the anvil tissue contacting surface, the first distance different than the second distance, the first gap and the second gap being spaced apart along a longitudinal axis of the end effector. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A surgical instrument comprising:
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an anvil; a cartridge having a first contacting portion and a second contacting portion; a first gap defined between the first contacting portion and the anvil; and a second gap defined between the second contacting portion and the anvil, the second gap being different from the first gap such that tissue disposed between the anvil and the cartridge is subjected to two different values of compression upon approximation of the anvil with respect to the cartridge, the values of compression varying along a longitudinal axis of the cartridge, wherein the first and second contacting portions are substantially parallel with respect to one another. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification