Small diameter cartridge design for a surgical stapling instrument
First Claim
1. An end effector comprising:
- a first jaw including a sled and defining a longitudinal axis;
a second jaw including an anvil, the first and second jaws moveable relative to one another; and
a cartridge disposed on the first jaw and having a plurality of staples, the sled configured to engage each staple of the plurality of staples to eject the plurality of staples from the cartridge as the sled is longitudinally translated through the cartridge, the cartridge defining a plurality of vertical slots and a first vertical channel, the first vertical channel parallel to the longitudinal axis, the first vertical channel passing through each vertical slot of a first line of the plurality of vertical slots.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An end effector includes a first jaw, a second jaw, and a cartridge. The first cartridge includes a sled and the second jaw includes an anvil. The first and second jaws are moveable relative to one another. The cartridge is disposed on the first jaw and has a plurality of staples. The sled is configured to engage each staple to the plurality of staples to eject the plurality of staples from the cartridge as the sled is longitudinally translated through the cartridge. A loading unit is also disclosed including an elongated body and an end effector that is articulable relative to the end effector. The end effector and the elongated body of the loading unit are configured to pass or fit through a 5 mm opening.
1278 Citations
17 Claims
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1. An end effector comprising:
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a first jaw including a sled and defining a longitudinal axis; a second jaw including an anvil, the first and second jaws moveable relative to one another; and a cartridge disposed on the first jaw and having a plurality of staples, the sled configured to engage each staple of the plurality of staples to eject the plurality of staples from the cartridge as the sled is longitudinally translated through the cartridge, the cartridge defining a plurality of vertical slots and a first vertical channel, the first vertical channel parallel to the longitudinal axis, the first vertical channel passing through each vertical slot of a first line of the plurality of vertical slots. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A loading unit comprising:
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an elongated body having proximal and distal ends; and an end effector disposed at the distal end of elongated body, the end effector including; a first jaw including a sled and defining a longitudinal axis; a second jaw including an anvil, the first and second jaws moveable relative to one another; and a cartridge disposed on the first jaw and having a plurality of staples, the sled configured to directly engage each staple of the plurality of staples to eject the plurality of staples from the cartridge as the sled is longitudinally translated through the cartridge, the cartridge defining a plurality of vertical slots and a first vertical channel, the first vertical channel parallel to the longitudinal axis, the first vertical channel passing through each vertical slot of a first line of the plurality of vertical slots. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of joining tissue, the method comprising:
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clamping tissue between first and second jaws of a surgical instrument; and translating a sled through a cartridge of the first jaw, the sled contacting each staple of a plurality of staples to eject the plurality of staples from the cartridge towards the second jaw, the sled translating through a sled channel defined by the first jaw and the cartridge such that a first fin that extends from an upper surface of the sled contacts each staple of the plurality of staples, the first fin translating through a vertical channel and a first line of vertical slots defined by the cartridge, the first line of vertical slots disposed along the vertical channel. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification