In-situ loaded stapler

• US 9,364,217 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2012
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Kostrzewski, Stanislaw, Aranyi, Ernest, Scirica, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Tecco, Andrew M
• Assistant Examiner(s): STINSON, CHELSEA E.
• Application Number:
  US13/652,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20140103092A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,337 Days
• Field of Search: 227/178.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• 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 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2931 with releasable head

Abstract

In one aspect of the present disclosure a surgical stapling apparatus is disclosed including a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes at least one cartridge having a first half and a second half, a first row of retention slots disposed in the first half, a second row of retention slots disposed in the second half, a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first half and the second half of the at least one cartridge between the first and second rows of staple receiving slots, a plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots of the first, second and third rows, and a plurality of pushers disposed in each of the first and second halves of the cartridge.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a body;

an anvil assembly; and

a staple cartridge assembly including;

a first staple cartridge positionable in a channel of the staple cartridge assembly, the first staple cartridge including;

a first staple half including a first row of retention slots;

a second staple half including a second row of retention slots, the second staple half releasably attachable to the first staple half;

a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first staple half and the second staple half of the first staple cartridge, the third row of retention slots disposed between the first and second rows of retention slots;

a plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots of the first, second, and third rows; and

a plurality of pushers disposed in the first, second, and third rows of retention slots, the plurality of pushers configured to eject a respective fastener of the plurality of fasteners from its respective retention slot during firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

2. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the staple cartridge assembly further includes a second staple cartridge, the first and second staple cartridges configured to couple together at a distal end portion thereof and define a longitudinal slot therebetween when coupled together, the second staple cartridge including:

a first staple half including a first row of retention slots;

a second staple half including a second row of retention slots, the second staple half releasably attachable to the first staple half;

a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first staple half and the second staple half of the second staple cartridge, the third row of retention slots disposed between the first and second rows of retention slots;

a plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots of the first, second, and third rows; and

a plurality of pushers disposed in the first, second, and third rows of retention slots, the plurality of pushers configured to eject a respective fastener of the plurality of fasteners from its respective retention slot during firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

3. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the longitudinal slot is configured to facilitate passage of a knife blade therethrough.

4. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second staple halves of the first staple cartridge include corresponding flanges and channels, the channels of the first and second staple halves being configured to receive corresponding flanges of the first and second staple halves, respectively, when the first and second staple halves are coupled together.

5. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the flanges of the first and second staple halves include the retention slots of the third row of retention slots therein.

6. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the channel of the first staple cartridge is configured to maintain the first and second staple halves in engagement with one another.

7. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each retention slot of the first staple cartridge includes a staple magazine disposed in operative association therewith and including a plurality of fasteners therein, the staple magazine being configured to supply one fastener from the plurality of fasteners of the staple magazine to the corresponding retention slot after a firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

8. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots and staple magazines of the first row of retention slots have a first size, the plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots and staple magazines of the second row of retention slots have a second size, and the plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots and staple magazines of the third row of retention slots have a third size.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first size is greater than the third size and the third size is greater than the second size.

10. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first staple half of the first staple cartridge defines a first tissue contacting surface, the second staple half of the first staple cartridge defines a second tissue contacting surface, and the first and second staple halves, when coupled together, define a third tissue contacting surface, and wherein a height of the first tissue contacting surface is smaller than a height of the third tissue contacting surface, and the height of the third tissue contacting surface is smaller than a height of the second tissue contacting surface.

11. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the staple magazine includes a biasing member configured to bias the plurality of fasteners disposed in the staple magazine toward the corresponding retention slot.

12. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each pusher of the plurality of pushers includes at least one pusher plate disposed within at least one of the first, second, or third rows of retention slots, the at least one pusher plate configured to translate through the respective retention slot to eject the respective fastener disposed therein.

13. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein each pusher of the plurality of pushers is configured to cover an opening disposed between a respective retention slot and the corresponding staple magazine when translating through the respective retention slot to a fired position to eject the respective fastener disposed therein, and to uncover the opening disposed between the respective retention slot and the corresponding staple magazine when translating back to a pre-fired position after the respective fastener has been ejected from the respective retention slot, thereby allowing the corresponding staple magazine to re-supply the respective retention slot with one fastener from the plurality of fasteners disposed in the corresponding staple magazine.

14. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, further including a disposable loading unit releasably coupled at a distal end of the body and configured to support the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge assembly thereon, the disposable loading unit including a firing cam assembly translatably disposed therein and including a plurality of drive bars, each drive bar of the plurality of drive bars including a firing cam disposed at a distal end thereof and configured to translate through one of the first and second staple halves of the first staple cartridge to individually engage and drive each pusher of the plurality of pushers disposed in the first, second, and third rows of retention slots to eject a fastener from the plurality of fastener from the corresponding retention slot during firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

15. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each of the first and second staple halves of the first staple cartridge includes a longitudinal slot extending therethrough, the longitudinal slot being configured for the reception of a drive bar of the plurality of drive bars therethrough.

16. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each pusher of the plurality of pushers includes a proximal camming surface and each firing cam includes a firing cam surface, the firing cam surface being configured to engage the proximal camming surface of the pusher during distal translation of the respective drive bar to translate the pusher to the fired position and cause the pusher to eject the respective fastener from the corresponding retention slot.

17. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 14, wherein each pusher of the plurality of pushers includes a distal camming surface and each firing cam includes a retracting cam surface, the retracting cam surface being configured to engage the distal camming surface of the pusher during proximal translation of the respective drive bar to cause the pusher to return to the pre-fired position.

18. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a handle assembly, the body extending distally from the handle assembly;

the staple cartridge assembly further including a staple magazine disposed in operative association with each retention slot of the first staple cartridge, the staple magazine including some fasteners of the plurality of fasteners and a biasing member disposed therein, the biasing member configured to bias the fasteners of the staple magazine towards the corresponding retention slot, the staple magazine being configured to reload the corresponding retention slot with a fastener from the fasteners disposed therein after a firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

19. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the staple cartridge assembly comprising:

a first staple cartridge and a second staple cartridge coupled to the first staple cartridge, each of the first and second staple cartridges including a first staple half and a second staple half, each of the first and second staple halves including a longitudinal slot extending therethrough and a plurality of retention slots disposed thereon, each retention slot including a fastener disposed therein, each of the first and second staple halves of the first and second staple cartridges further including a plurality of pushers disposed therein in operative communication with the respective longitudinal slot and the plurality of retention slots;

a plurality of drive bars, each drive bar of the plurality of drive bars configured to translate through the respective longitudinal slot of one of the first or second staple halves of the first or second staple cartridge, whereby each drive bar of the plurality of drive bars individually engages each pusher of the respective first or second staple half to thereby drive each pusher to sequentially eject the fastener from the associated retention slot upon translation of the drive bar through the longitudinal slot of one of the first or second staple halves.

20. A surgical stapler having an anvil assembly, a cartridge assembly, and a firing cam assembly, the cartridge assembly including two staple cartridges received in a carrier to define a knife slot therebetween, each of the two staple cartridges further includes a first staple half and a second staple half releasably attachable to the first staple half, the cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical staples disposed in retention slots configured for sequential ejection therefrom and a plurality of staple magazines, each staple magazine disposed adjacent a retention slot and including more than one staple associated therewith.