Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staples sizes

• US 8,579,178 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien 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:
  US13/419,586
• Publication Number:
  US 20120168487A1
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/176.1, 227/175.1, 227/180.1, 227/178.1, 606/139, 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:

a staple cartridge;

first and second tissue contacting surfaces defined on the staple cartridge, the first and second tissue contacting surfaces having a surface separated by a wall; and

a plurality of staples associated with the first and second tissue contacting surfaces, each staple having a height and a pair of legs with tips,

wherein the height of the staples associated with the first tissue contacting surface is different from the height of the staples associated with the second tissue contacting surface, and the tips of each staple are disposed in a common plane.

2. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 1, further including an anvil operably coupled to the staple cartridge.

3. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 2, wherein the staple cartridge and the anvil are configured for relative approximation.

4. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 3, wherein the anvil includes a plurality of pockets cooperatively aligned with the tissue contacting surfaces.

5. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 4, wherein each pocket is configured to receive the pair of legs of each of the respective staples.

6. The surgical stapling instrument of claim 5, wherein a gap is defined between each tissue contacting surface and the corresponding plurality of pockets.

7. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 6, wherein the gap between the first tissue contacting surface and the corresponding plurality of pockets is different from the gap between the second tissue contacting surface and the corresponding plurality of pockets.

8. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the anvil defines a tissue engaging surface, and each pocket defines a transverse depth from the tissue engaging surface.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the depth of each of a plurality of pockets cooperatively aligned with the first tissue contacting surface is different from the depth of each of a plurality of pockets cooperatively aligned with the second tissue contacting surface.

10. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 4, wherein the anvil includes first and second tissue contacting surfaces cooperatively aligned with the corresponding tissue contacting surfaces of the staple cartridge.

11. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 10, wherein the first and second tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil have a planar surface and are spaced apart by a common transverse wall.

12. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the common perpendicular wall associated with the first and second tissue contacting surfaces of the staple cartridge has the same dimensions as the transverse wall associated with the first and second tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil.

13. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a handle.

14. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the handle is manually operated.

15. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a wound closure assembly.