Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staples sizes

• US 8,157,152 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2011
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Holsten, Henry E., Viola, Frank J., Emmons, Clifford L., Beardsley, John W., Heinrich, Russell, Cullinan, Nicola
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Scott A.
• Application Number:
  US13/286,544
• Publication Number:
  US 20120043369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 168 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 606/137, 606/151, 606/153, 606/219
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• 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 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• 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 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments

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.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling instrument comprising:

an anvil having a plurality of staple forming depressions;

a staple cartridge assembly having a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots arranged for alignment with the staple forming depressions;

a first plurality of staples and a second plurality of staples disposed in the staple retaining slots, each staple in the first plurality of staples having a first leg length and each staple in the second plurality of staples having a second leg length that is different from the first leg length; and

a wound closure assembly having at supply line for delivering an amount of a wound closure material into the staple cartridge assembly.

2. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the supply line delivers wound closure material to a knife channel defined by the staple cartridge assembly.

3. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the wound closure material improves the strength of the bond formed between layers of tissue.

4. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a reservoir for containing wound closure material.

5. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the wound closure material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of adhesives, hemostats, and sealants.

6. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tissue contacting surface has a first tissue contacting surface with a first height and a second tissue contacting surface with a second height, the second height being different from the first height.

7. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 6, wherein the first tissue contacting surface defines a first plane and the second tissue contacting surface defines a second plane that is parallel to the first plane.

8. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 7, wherein the first plane is vertically spaced from the second plane.

9. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 6, wherein the first leg length is less than the second leg length, the first height is less than the second height, and the first plurality of staples are disposed in retention slots defined in the first tissue contacting surface, and the second plurality of staples are disposed in retention slots defined in the second tissue contacting surface.

10. The surgical stapling instrument according to claim 1, wherein the staple cartridge has retention slots arranged in rows that are substantially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the staple cartridge.

11. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a knife blade arranged for moving through the staple cartridge assembly.