True multi-fire surgical stapler with buttress strip

• US 8,225,980 B1
• Filed: 05/19/2010
• Issued: 07/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Touchstone International Medical Science Co. Ltd
• Original Assignee: Cardica Incorporated
• Inventors: Rivera, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tawfik, Sameh H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chukwurah, Nathaniel
• Application Number:
  US12/783,389
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 227/177.1, 227/176.1, 227/180, 227/181.1, 606/151, 606/219, 173/1
• US Class Current: 227/177.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• 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 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge

Abstract

A surgical stapler may include a staple holder; an anvil movable relative to the staple holder; a feeder belt extending into the staple holder; staples frangibly affixed to the feeder belt; and a buttress belt extending onto a surface of the anvil that is oriented toward the staple holder. A surgical method for treating tissue within a patient may include providing a staple holder, an anvil movable relative to the staple holder, a feeder belt extending into the staple holder, staples frangibly affixed to the feeder belt, and a buttress belt extending onto a surface of the anvil that is oriented toward the staple holder; clamping tissue between the anvil and staple holder; deploying staples through the clamped tissue and into the buttress belt, where the staples are connected to said buttress belt as a result; breaking the deployed staples from the feeder belt; and leaving at least a portion of the buttress belt in position against tissue within the patient.

Claims

1. A surgical method for treating tissue within a patient;

comprising;

possessing a staple holder, an anvil movable relative to said staple holder, a feeder belt extending into said staple holder, a plurality of staples frangibly affixed to said feeder belt, and a buttress belt extending onto a surface of said anvil that is oriented toward said staple holder, wherein said buttress belt includes a plurality of apertures defined therein;

clamping tissue between said anvil and said staple holder;

deploying a plurality of said staples through the tissue clamped between said anvil and said staple holder by urging an end of at least one said staple through a first said aperture defined in said buttress belt, wherein said staples are connected to said buttress belt;

breaking said deployed plurality of said staples from said feeder belt; and

leaving at least a portion of said buttress belt in position against tissue within the patient.

2. The surgical method of claim 1, wherein said leaving includes separating said portion of said buttress belt from a remainder of said buttress belt at a perforation.

3. The surgical method of claim 1, further comprising advancing both said feeder belt and said buttress belt, after which a different plurality of said staples is located within said staple holder.

4. The surgical method of claim 3, wherein said advancing is performed while said staple holder and said anvil are located inside the patient.

5. The surgical method of claim 1, wherein said deploying further includes bending at least one said staple and urging said end of said staple through a second said aperture after first urging said end of said staple through said first said aperture.

6. The surgical method of claim 1, further comprising manually replacing said buttress belt on said anvil after said leaving.