Surgical stapling instrument with mechanical indicator to show levels of tissue compression

• US 8,348,131 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 01/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Omaits, Todd Phillip, Thompson, Bennie, Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Timperman, Eugene L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai, Hemant M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Application Number:
  US11/529,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078806A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,293 Days
• Field of Search: 227/181.1, 227/175.1, 227/177.1
• US Class Current: 227/181.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• 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 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• 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 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• 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 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 : Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 : pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

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.

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.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the resistive load applied to the proximal cap portion increases as the amount of compression applied to the tissue increases and the resistive load applied to the proximal cap portion decreases as the amount of compression applied to the tissue decreases.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising first reference indicia associated with the proximal cap portion and the distal cap portion to indicate a first position that corresponds to a first position of the anvil relative to the staple cartridge when the anvil has applied a first predetermined amount of compression to the tissue.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 further comprising second reference indicia associated with the proximal cap portion and the distal cap portion to indicate a second position of the anvil relative to the staple cartridge when the anvil has applied a second predetermined amount of compression to the tissue.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4 wherein said first predetermined amount of compression is a minimum amount of compression required to form staples supported within the staple cartridge as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to said cartridge supporting assembly and wherein said second predetermined amount of compression is a maximum amount of compression required to form the staples as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to said cartridge supporting assembly.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1 wherein the variable load generating member comprises a spiral spring.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 wherein the spiral spring is sized such that when the proximal cap portion is moved to a first position relative to the distal cap portion, the spiral spring causes the distal cap portion to interact with the closure assembly to move the anvil to a first position relative to the staple cartridge wherein a first amount of compression is applied to the tissue and as the proximal cap portion is moved to a second position relative to the distal cap portion, the spiral spring causes the distal cap portion to interact with the closure assembly to move the anvil to a second position relative to the staple cartridge wherein a second amount of compression is applied to the tissue.

8. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 7 further comprising a reference indicator on the proximal cap portion that registers with first indicia on the distal cap portion when the proximal cap portion is in the first position, said reference indicator further oriented to register with second indicia on the distal cap portion when the proximal cap portion is in the second position.

9. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 8 wherein the first amount of compression is a minimum amount of compression required to form staples supported within the staple cartridge as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to the cartridge supporting assembly and wherein the second predetermined amount of compression is a maximum amount of compression required to form the staples as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to the cartridge supporting assembly.

10. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, said method comprising:

obtaining said surgical instrument of claim 1;

sterilizing said surgical instrument; and

storing said instrument in a sterile container.

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.

12. The circular stapling device of claim 11 further comprising:

a handle assembly operably supporting the closure shaft assembly;

a firing assembly operably supported by the handle assembly and configured to selectively generate a staple drive firing motion and a staple drive retraction motion;

an elongate shaft assembly coupled to the handle assembly and the staple drive member and configured to transmit the staple drive firing motions and the staple drive retraction motions to the staple drive member, the elongate shaft assembly axially supporting the closure shaft assembly therein; and

a knife operably mounted within the staple drive member.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 wherein the spiral spring is sized such that when the proximal cap portion is moved to a first position relative to the distal cap portion, the spiral spring causes the distal cap portion to interact with the closure shaft assembly to move the anvil to a first position relative to the staple cartridge wherein a first amount of compression is applied to the tissue and as the proximal cap portion is moved to a second position relative to the distal cap portion, the spiral spring causes the distal cap portion to interact with the closure shaft assembly to move the anvil to a second position relative to the staple cartridge wherein a second amount of compression is applied to the tissue.

14. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 13 further comprising a reference indicator on the proximal cap portion that registers with first indicia on the distal cap portion when the proximal cap portion is in the first position, said reference indicator further oriented to register with second indicia on the distal cap portion when the proximal cap portion is in the second position.

15. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 14 wherein the first amount of compression is a minimum amount of compression required to form staples supported within the staple cartridge as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to the cartridge supporting assembly and wherein the second predetermined amount of compression is a maximum amount of compression required to form the staples as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge into the anvil when the firing motion is applied to the cartridge supporting assembly.