Surgical stapling instrument with mechanical indicator to show levels of tissue compression
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
- a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein, the cartridge supporting assembly being responsive to firing and retraction motions applied thereto from a firing assembly;
an anvil;
an anvil closure assembly coupled to the anvil and configured to selectively move the anvil in a proximal direction toward the cartridge supporting assembly to enable the anvil to compress a portion of tissue between a staple cartridge supported by the cartridge supporting assembly and the anvil;
a distal cap portion operably communicating with the anvil closure assembly such that upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a first direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in the proximal direction and upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a second direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in a distal direction away from the staple cartridge;
a proximal cap portion movably supported relative to the distal cap portion for movement in the first and second directions; and
a variable load generating member interconnecting said proximal cap portion and said distal cap portion such that when the proximal cap portion is rotated relative to said distal cap portion in a rotational direction, the variable load generating member causes the distal cap portion to move in the first direction while applying a resistive load to the proximal cap portion resisting further rotation of said proximal cap in the rotational direction in relation to an amount of compression force applied to the tissue between the anvil and the staple cartridge.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Various forms of surgical instruments are disclosed. In various embodiments, the instrument includes a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein. The cartridge supporting assembly may be responsive to firing and retraction motions applied thereto from a firing assembly. An anvil may be operably coupled to an anvil closure assembly. The anvil closure assembly may be constructed to selectively move the anvil in a proximal direction toward the cartridge supporting assembly to enable a portion of tissue to be clamped between a cartridge supported by the cartridge supporting assembly and the anvil under a predetermined amount of compression. The device may further include a closure actuator that operably interacts with the anvil closure assembly such that as the closure actuator is moved in a first direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in the proximal direction to increase the compression of the tissue between the staple cartridge and the anvil. A variable load generating member may cooperate with the anvil closure assembly and the closure actuator to apply a resistive load to the closure actuator in relation to an amount of compression applied to the tissue between the anvil and the staple cartridge.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A surgical instrument comprising:
-
a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein, the cartridge supporting assembly being responsive to firing and retraction motions applied thereto from a firing assembly; an anvil; an anvil closure assembly coupled to the anvil and configured to selectively move the anvil in a proximal direction toward the cartridge supporting assembly to enable the anvil to compress a portion of tissue between a staple cartridge supported by the cartridge supporting assembly and the anvil; a distal cap portion operably communicating with the anvil closure assembly such that upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a first direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in the proximal direction and upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a second direction, the anvil closure assembly causes the anvil to move in a distal direction away from the staple cartridge; a proximal cap portion movably supported relative to the distal cap portion for movement in the first and second directions; and a variable load generating member interconnecting said proximal cap portion and said distal cap portion such that when the proximal cap portion is rotated relative to said distal cap portion in a rotational direction, the variable load generating member causes the distal cap portion to move in the first direction while applying a resistive load to the proximal cap portion resisting further rotation of said proximal cap in the rotational direction in relation to an amount of compression force applied to the tissue between the anvil and the staple cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A circular stapling device, comprising:
-
a staple drive member configured to operably support a circular staple cartridge therein; a closure shaft assembly supported for axial travel relative to the staple drive member in a proximal direction and a distal direction; an anvil attachable to the closure shaft assembly for proximal and distal travel therewith relative to the circular staple cartridge supported within the staple drive member, such that upon application of an opening motion to the closure shaft assembly, the closure shaft assembly moves the anvil in the distal direction away from the circular staple cartridge and upon application of closing motion to the closure shaft assembly, the closure shaft assembly draws the anvil in the proximal direction towards the circular staple cartridge to enable tissue to be clamped between the anvil and the circular staple cartridge under a predetermined amount of compression; a distal cap portion movably supported by the handle assembly and operably communicating with the closure shaft assembly such that upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a first direction, the closure shaft assembly causes the anvil to move in the proximal direction and upon actuation of the distal cap portion in a second direction, the closure shaft assembly causes the anvil to move in the distal direction away from the staple cartridge; and a proximal cap portion movably supported relative to the distal cap portion for movement in the first and second directions, the proximal cap portion further interconnected to the distal cap portion by a spiral spring such that when the proximal cap portion is rotated relative to said distal cap portion in a rotational direction, the spiral spring causes the distal cap portion to move in the first direction while applying a resistive load to the proximal cap portion resisting further rotation of said proximal cap in the rotational direction in relation to an amount of compression force applied to the tissue between the anvil and the staple cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification