Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staples sizes

• US 9,370,365 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2014
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• 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:
  US14/491,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20150001275A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 227/19, 227/175.1, 227/176.1, 227/180.1, 606/139, 606/219, 606/151, 606/153
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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. A circular surgical instrument comprising a cartridge having a circular tissue contacting surface and first, second, and third rows of retention slots, the first, second, and third rows of retention slots being circular, and surgical fasteners disposed in the first, second, and third rows of retention slots, wherein each fastener has a pair of legs, the legs have leg lengths, and at least some of the fasteners have different leg lengths then the others of the fasteners, the instrument having an anvil member defining a gap with the tissue contacting surface that varies.

2. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the fasteners in the first row of retention slots have a first leg length and the fasteners in the second row of retention slots have a second leg length that is different from the first leg length.

3. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the anvil member has a recesses for forming the surgical fasteners.

4. The surgical instrument according to claim 3, wherein the anvil member has first and second surfaces, the first surface defining a first gap with the tissue contacting surface and the second surface defining a second gap with the tissue contacting surface.

5. The surgical instrument according to claim 4, wherein the first gap is different from the second gap.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first row of retention slots is located adjacent a knife channel and the leg lengths of the fasteners in the first row of retention slots are smaller than the leg lengths of the fasteners in the second row of retention slots.

7. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tissue contacting surface is stepped.

8. The surgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the tissue contacting surface is sloped.

9. A circular surgical instrument comprising:

a cartridge having an outer wall, a central longitudinal axis, first, second, and third circular rows of retention slots, and fasteners disposed in the first, second, and third rows of retention slots, the cartridge defining a first surface, each fastener having a pair of legs, wherein at least one fastener in the first row of retention slots has a first leg length and at least one fastener in the second row of retention slots has a second leg length that is different from the first leg length;

an anvil member having a second surface, the first surface and the second surface defining a gap that varies.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9, wherein the gap is at a minimum adjacent the central longitudinal axis.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the first row of fasteners is disposed adjacent the central longitudinal axis and the first leg length is less than the second leg length.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the cartridge defines a knife channel disposed inwardly of the first row of fasteners.