Surgical instrument comprising a firing system including a compliant portion

• US 9,408,604 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Morgan, Jerome R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lopez, Michelle
• Application Number:
  US14/193,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20140175155A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/176.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

A surgical instrument can comprise a first jaw, a second jaw, and a firing system configured to be advanced relative to the first jaw and the second jaw. The firing system can comprise a firing member including a first portion configured to engage the first jaw and a second portion configured to engage the second jaw in order to position the first jaw and the second jaw relative to one another.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw is movable between an open position and a clamped position to clamp tissue between said first jaw and said second jaw; and

a firing system, comprising;

a first jaw engaging portion configured to engage said first jaw; and

an adjustable second jaw engaging portion configured to engage said second jaw, wherein said adjustable second jaw engaging portion is movable relative to said first jaw engaging portion, and wherein said adjustable second jaw engaging portion adjusts its position relative to said first jaw engaging portion in response to the thickness of the tissue clamped between said first jaw and said second jaw to accommodate;

a first distance between said first jaw engaging portion and said adjustable second jaw engaging portion when said second jaw is in said clamped position; and

a second distance between said first jaw engaging portion and said adjustable second jaw engaging portion when said second jaw is in said clamped position, wherein said first distance is different than said second distance.

2. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein said first jaw engaging portion comprises a first projection, and wherein said adjustable second jaw engaging portion comprises a second projection.

3. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 2, wherein said adjustable second jaw engaging portion is configured to position said second jaw relative to said first jaw, wherein said first jaw comprises a first jaw contacting surface and said second jaw comprises a second jaw positioning surface, wherein said first projection is configured to slidably engage said first jaw contacting surface, and wherein said second projection is configured to slidably engage said second jaw positioning surface.

4. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein the position of said adjustable second jaw engaging portion relative to said first jaw engaging portion is dynamically responsive to compressive loads applied to said second jaw.

5. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising a slit defined between said first jaw engaging portion and said adjustable second jaw engaging portion.

6. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising a staple cartridge removably positioned within said first jaw.

7. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 6, wherein said firing system is configured to eject staples from said staple cartridge.

8. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil.

9. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, wherein said firing system further comprises a tissue cutting portion.

10. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 9, wherein said first jaw engaging portion is positioned on a first side of said tissue cutting portion, and wherein said adjustable second jaw engaging portion is positioned on a second side of said tissue cutting portion.

11. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a handle; and

a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said end effector extends from said shaft.

12. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

an end effector, comprising;

a first jaw comprising a first tissue engaging surface;

a second jaw comprising a second tissue engaging surface, wherein said second jaw is movable relative to said first jaw between an open position and a clamped position; and

a staple cartridge; and

a firing system configured to eject staples from said staple cartridge, comprising;

a first jaw engaging portion configured to engage said first jaw; and

a compliant second jaw engaging portion configured to engage said second jaw, wherein said compliant second jaw engaging portion is configured to position said second tissue engaging surface relative to said first tissue engaging surface, and wherein said compliant second jaw engaging portion is movable relative to said first jaw engaging portion to automatically accommodate different distances between said first jaw engaging portion and said compliant second jaw engaging portion.

13. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 12, wherein said first jaw engaging portion comprises a first projection, and wherein said compliant second jaw engaging portion comprises a second projection.

14. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 13, wherein said first jaw comprises a first jaw contacting surface and said second jaw comprises a second jaw positioning surface, wherein said first projection is configured to slidably engage said first jaw contacting surface, and wherein said second projection is configured to slidably engage said second jaw positioning surface.

15. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 12, wherein the position of said compliant second jaw engaging portion relative to said first jaw engaging portion is dynamically responsive to compressive loads applied to said second jaw.

16. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 12, further comprising a slit defined between said first jaw engaging portion and said compliant second jaw engaging portion.

17. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 12, wherein said firing system further comprises a tissue cutting portion.

18. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 12, further comprising:

a handle; and

a shaft extending from said handle, wherein said end effector extends from said shaft.

19. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

a handle;

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector, comprising;

a proximal end extending from said shaft;

a distal end positioned opposite said proximal end;

a first jaw;

a second jaw movable relative to said first jaw, wherein said second jaw is movable between an open position and a clamped position, and wherein a tissue gap is defined between said first jaw and said second jaw when said second jaw is in said clamped position; and

a staple cartridge; and

a firing system movable toward said distal end to deploy staples from said staple cartridge, comprising;

a first portion movable relative to said first jaw; and

a dynamic second portion movable relative to said second jaw, wherein said dynamic second portion is movable relative to said first portion to provide a changeable distance between said first portion and said dynamic second portion.

20. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 19, wherein said first jaw comprises a first jaw contacting surface and said second jaw comprises a second jaw positioning surface, wherein said first portion is configured to slidably engage said first jaw contacting surface, and wherein said dynamic second portion is configured to slidably engage said second jaw positioning surface to position said second jaw relative to said first jaw.

21. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 19, wherein the position of said dynamic second portion relative to said first portion is dynamically responsive to compressive loads applied to said second jaw.

22. A surgical instrument assembly, comprising:

a handle;

a shaft extending from said handle;

an end effector extending from said shaft, comprising;

a first jaw; and

a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is movable relative to said first jaw between an open position and a clamped position, and wherein a tissue gap is defined between said first jaw and said second jaw when said second jaw is in said clamped position; and

a firing system, comprising;

a first jaw engaging portion configured to engage said first jaw; and

a movable tissue gap setting portion, wherein said movable tissue gap setting portion is self-adjustable relative to said first jaw engaging portion to accommodate a first tissue gap comprising a first distance defined between said first jaw and said second jaw and a second tissue gap comprising a second distance defined between said first jaw and said second jaw, and wherein said first distance is different than said second distance.

23. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 22, wherein the position of said moveable tissue gap setting portion relative to said first jaw engaging portion is dynamically responsive to compressive loads applied to said second jaw.

24. The surgical instrument assembly of claim 22, wherein said second jaw comprises an anvil, wherein said anvil is configured to deform staples to a first deformed height when said second jaw is positioned at said first distance, wherein said anvil is configured to deform staples to a second deformed height when said second jaw is positioned at said second distance, and wherein said first deformed height is different than said second deformed height.