Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staples sizes

• US 8,840,004 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien Limited (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:
  US14/071,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20140054354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/178.1, 227/180.1, 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 by marking A61B2090/395

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. An apparatus for joining tubular tissue sections comprising:

a cartridge assembly having a planar tissue contacting surface, the cartridge assembly defining a plurality of retention slots in an annular array, each of the plurality of retention slots configured to receive a surgical fastener therein, the cartridge assembly including a staple ejection assembly having a plurality of pushers, each of the plurality of pushers disposed within a respective one of the plurality of retention slots;

an anvil assembly having a stepped tissue contacting surface defining fastener forming recesses, the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being relatively movable toward and away from each other; and

a plurality of surgical fasteners, each of the plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in a respective one of the plurality of retention slots, wherein at least some of the plurality of surgical fasteners have different dimensions than others of the plurality of surgical fasteners.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stepped tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly includes an outer surface, an intermediate surface, and an inner surface, the outer surface being radially outward of the intermediate surface, the inner surface being radially inward of the intermediate surface.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the outer surface is positioned distally of the intermediate surface.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the intermediate surface is positioned distally of the inner surface.

5. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the outer surface, the intermediate surface, and the inner surface are parallel to each other.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein each of the outer, intermediate, and inner surfaces defines an annular array of the fastener forming recesses.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a first surgical fastener of the plurality of surgical fasteners has a first length and is formed against one of the fastener forming recesses defined in the inner surface, a second surgical fastener of the plurality of surgical fasteners has a second length and is formed against one of the fastener forming recesses defined in the intermediate surface, a third surgical fastener of the plurality of surgical fasteners has a third length and is formed against one of the fastener forming recesses defined in the outer surface, and the first, second, and third lengths are different.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first length is smaller than the second length.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second length is smaller than the third length.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of surgical fasteners includes a backspan and a pair of legs extending from the backspan.

11. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including a handle assembly and a tubular body portion extending from the handle assembly, wherein the tubular body portion supports the cartridge assembly.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the handle assembly includes at least one pivotable actuating handle member.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the anvil assembly further includes an anvil shaft operatively coupling the anvil assembly with the handle assembly.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, further including a reservoir of wound closure material.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, further including a supply line fluidly coupling the reservoir with the anvil shaft.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the anvil shaft defines at least one opening in fluid communication with the reservoir.