Adjustable compression staple and method for stapling with adjustable compression

• US 9,700,306 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2014
• Issued: 07/11/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Palmer, Matthew A., Kline, Korey, Deville, Derek Dee, Smith, Kevin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Anderson, Gregory
• Assistant Examiner(s): LAUER, CHRISTINA C
• Application Number:
  US14/164,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20140142625A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,261 Days
• 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: F16B 15/0015 Staples

Abstract

A substantially U-shaped staple has a bridge, legs, and an internally disposed compression device with a bias portion having a compression surface movably disposed between the legs and a compression resistor connected to the bridge and to the compression surface and is formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a force.

Claims

1. A compression-self-adjusting staple, comprising:

a substantially U-shaped staple that imparts a compressive force on material to which the staple is applied, and having;

a bridge;

legs; and

;

an internally disposed compression device having a bias portion with;

a compression surface movably disposed between the legs; and

a compression resistor;

connected to the bridge and to the compression surface; and

being formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a pre-defined force that opposes the compressive force, wherein the compression resistor absorbs compressive forces that are greater than the pre-defined opposing force, thereby regulating an amount of compressive force being imparted on the material.

2. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the bridge is substantially rod-shaped with ends; and

each of the legs has a base end integral with a respective one of the ends.

3. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the bridge and the legs define a bridge-leg plane; and

the legs extend from the bridge at an angle of between 80 and 100 degrees in the bridge-leg plane.

4. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices.

5. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the compression resistor defines at least one orifice pair,

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices and one of the at least one orifice pair.

6. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the compression resistor defines a plurality of orifice pairs;

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices and one of each of the orifice pairs.

7. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

the bridge and the legs define a compression axis; and

the compression surface is movably disposed between the legs along the compression axis.

8. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the compression device is connected to the bridge.

9. The staple according to claim 8, wherein the compression resistor connects the bridge to the compression surface.

10. The staple according to claim 8, wherein the bridge, the legs, the compression resistor, and the compression surface are integral.

11. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the compression resistor is at least partly disposed between the legs.

12. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the compression resistor is disposed between the bridge and the compression surface.

13. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined opposing force comprises a substantially constant force.

14. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined opposing force comprises a linearly increasing force.

15. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the compression resistor has an anti-compressive spring constant such that the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant anti-compressive force imparted over a pre-defined compression range.

16. The staple according to claim 1, wherein the staple and the compression device are of a biocompatible material.

17. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled;

the compression surface and the legs define a central compression region in which is to be disposed a material to be compressed between the compression surface and the stapling points when the distal ends of the legs are deformed; and

when the distal ends are deformed in a staple closing direction into the central compression region, the bias portion resists movement of the compression surface in the staple closing direction with the pre-defined opposing force, wherein the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant force.

18. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled; and

the compression surface and the bias portion are shaped to impart the pre-defined opposing force upon material disposed between the compression surface and the stapling points when the stapling points are deformed, wherein the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant bias force.

19. The staple according to claim 1, wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled;

when the stapling points are deformed toward one another, material disposed between the compression surface and the stapling points is compressed between the stapling points and the compression surface; and

the compression resistor maintains a substantially constant compressive force on the material within a pre-defined range independent of a degree of compression between the stapling points and the compression surface.