Surgical fastener applying apparatus

• US 9,724,095 B2
• Filed: 07/11/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Katre, Nikhik R., Garilkipati, Kiran, Shelke, Rajesh T., Gupta, Arvind Kumar, Perumal, Sekar, Varghese, Cinish P., Bueno, Richard Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai, Hemant M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferrero, Eduardo R
• Application Number:
  US13/546,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20130037595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,854 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0643 with separate closing member, e.g. for interlocking with staple
• 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 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0684 having a forming anvil staying above the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0686 having a forming anvil staying below the tissue during stapling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00464 for use with different instruments with hole for different instruments A61B2017/22072
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00619 Locking means for locking the implement in expanded state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00659 located only on one side of the opening
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00668 the implement being a tack or a staple
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0688 Packages or dispensers for surgical staplers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/08021 of the patient or his organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0814 Preventing re-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use

Abstract

A surgical fastener applying apparatus includes an anvil half-section and a cartridge-receiving half-section including an elongated channel member having a pair of opposed openings defined through sidewalls thereof. A disposable assembly including a single use loading unit and a single use firing unit is configured to be releasably supported within the cartridge-receiving half-section. The disposable assembly includes a stationary housing for supporting the firing unit which includes a distal extension for supporting the single use loading unit. The stationary housing includes a pair of flared tabs configured to be releasably received within the openings of the cartridge-receiving half-section to releasably engage the disposable assembly within the cartridge-receiving half-section.

Claims

1. A surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

an anvil half-section including a distal anvil portion and a proximal handle portion;

a cartridge-receiving half-section including an elongated channel member, the elongated channel member having a U-shaped configuration defined by sidewalls, a closed lower portion, and an open upper portion, the cartridge-receiving half-section including a pair of opposed openings extending completely through the sidewalls of the elongated channel member from interior surfaces of the sidewalls to exterior surfaces of the sidewalls;

a clamping lever secured to the cartridge receiving half-section, the clamping lever having a proximal end and a distal end and including a handle portion; and

a disposable assembly including a single use loading unit and a single use firing unit, the disposable assembly configured to be releasably supported within the cartridge-receiving half-section and including a stationary housing for supporting the firing unit, the stationary housing including a distal extension extending therefrom for supporting the single use loading unit, the stationary housing including a pair of sidewalls each including a flared tab biased towards an at-rest position wherein the flared tabs extend outwardly at an angle relative to the sidewalls of the stationary housing, the flared tabs being configured to contact the sidewalls of the elongated channel member and flex inwardly towards an aligned orientation with respect to the sidewalls of the stationary housing upon insertion of the stationary housing through the open upper portion of the elongated channel member and into the elongated channel member, the flared tabs being configured to return under bias to the at-rest position upon alignment of the flared tabs with the opposed openings of the elongated channel member such that the flared tabs extend through the opposed openings of the side walls of the elongated channel member to protrude outwardly from the exterior surfaces of the sidewalls of the elongated channel member, and are thereby releasably received within the opposed openings of the elongated channel member to releasably engage the disposable assembly within the cartridge-receiving half-section;

wherein the stationary housing includes a pair of outwardly-extending serrated gripping surfaces to facilitate insertion and removal of the disposable assembly in relation to the cartridge-receiving half-section;

the clamping lever being operably associated with the anvil half-section and the cartridge receiving half-section and being movable from an unclamped position to a clamped position to releasably secure the anvil portion of the anvil half-section in close approximation with the single use loading unit.

2. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the stationary housing further defines a pair of opposed slots positioned towards a proximal end thereof and wherein the cartridge-receiving half-portion includes a pair of protrusions disposed at the proximal end thereof and extending inwardly from the sidewalls thereof, the protrusions configured to be received within the slots when the disposable assembly is positioned within the cartridge-receiving half-section.

3. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the disposable assembly further includes a pivotal locking member coupled to the stationary housing, the pivotal locking member being configured to engage an engagement member positioned on the clamping lever to lock the clamping member in the clamped position.

4. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the firing unit includes a firing lever and a cam bar fixedly secured to the firing lever, the firing lever being selectively translatable relative to the stationary housing to translate the cam bar through the single use loading unit to eject fasteners therefrom.

5. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the firing unit further includes a guide block pivotably supported within the stationary housing, the guide block being configured to guide translation of the cam bar through the single use loading unit, the guide block pivotable between a locked position inhibiting translation of the cam bar, and an unlocked position permitting translation of the cam bar.

6. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the anvil half-section includes at least one extension extending therefrom, the extension being configured to urge the guide block to the unlocked position upon movement of the clamping lever to the clamped position.

7. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sidewalls of the stationary housing are manually movable toward each other to retract the flared tabs from the opposed openings to permit withdrawal of the stationary housing from the cartridge-receiving half section.

8. The surgical fastener applying apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge-receiving half-section includes cut-out portions defined at free ends of the sidewalls of the elongated channel member, the cut-out portions configured to receive the serrated gripping surfaces upon insertion of the disposable assembly into the cartridge-receiving half-section.