Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staple sizes
First Claim
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1. An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus, the end effector comprising:
- a staple cartridge having a planar surface;
a first plurality of retention slots located on the surface, the first plurality of retention slots including a first plurality of staples, each staple in the first plurality of staples having a pair of legs with a first leg length;
a second plurality of retention slots located on the surface, the second plurality of retention slots including a second plurality of staples, each staple in the second plurality of staples having a pair of legs with a second leg length that is different than the first leg length;
an anvil member cooperative with the staple cartridge, the anvil member having a planar surface, the planar surface including a first plurality of staple forming pockets associated with the first plurality of retention slots and a second plurality of staple forming pockets associated with the second plurality of retention slots;
a first plurality of pushers associated with the first plurality of staples;
a second plurality of pushers associated with the second plurality of staples, wherein movement of the first and second pluralities of pushers urge the staples through their respective retention slots;
a first gap defined between the planar surface of the staple cartridge and the planar surface of the anvil associated with the first plurality of staple forming pockets; and
a second gap defined between the planar surface of the staple cartridge and the planar surface of the anvil associated with the second plurality of staple forming pockets, the second gap being different from the first gap.
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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
18 Claims
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1. An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus, the end effector comprising:
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a staple cartridge having a planar surface; a first plurality of retention slots located on the surface, the first plurality of retention slots including a first plurality of staples, each staple in the first plurality of staples having a pair of legs with a first leg length; a second plurality of retention slots located on the surface, the second plurality of retention slots including a second plurality of staples, each staple in the second plurality of staples having a pair of legs with a second leg length that is different than the first leg length; an anvil member cooperative with the staple cartridge, the anvil member having a planar surface, the planar surface including a first plurality of staple forming pockets associated with the first plurality of retention slots and a second plurality of staple forming pockets associated with the second plurality of retention slots; a first plurality of pushers associated with the first plurality of staples; a second plurality of pushers associated with the second plurality of staples, wherein movement of the first and second pluralities of pushers urge the staples through their respective retention slots; a first gap defined between the planar surface of the staple cartridge and the planar surface of the anvil associated with the first plurality of staple forming pockets; and a second gap defined between the planar surface of the staple cartridge and the planar surface of the anvil associated with the second plurality of staple forming pockets, the second gap being different from the first gap. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
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a tubular body portion having a fastener ejection member and a staple cartridge; the staple cartridge having an outer annular surface with a first annular row of retention slots, an inner annular surface with a second annular row of retention slots, the outer annular surface having a first height measured from the fastener ejection member and the inner annular surface having a second height measured from the fastener ejection member, the first height being different from the second height; the fastener ejection member having a first plurality of pushers corresponding with the first annular row of retention slots and a second plurality of pushers corresponding with the second annular row of retention slots, the first plurality of pushers having a third height and the second plurality of pushers having a fourth height, the third height being different than the fourth height; an anvil member with a substantially planar tissue contacting surface, the planar tissue contacting surface being disposed in a single plane, the planar tissue contacting surface of the anvil including a first annular row of staple forming pockets and a second annular row of staple forming pockets, the first and second annular rows of staple forming pockets corresponding to the first and second annular rows of retention slots; and a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in the first annular row of retention slots and the second annular row of retention slots. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification