Circular surgical staplers with foldable anvil assemblies

• US 10,045,769 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Aronhalt, Taylor W., Shelton, IV, Frederick E., Schall, Christopher J., Young, Joseph E., Worrell, Barry C., Morgan, Jerome R., Weisenburgh, II, William B., Hess, Christopher J., Schellin, Emily A.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHUKWURAH, NATHANIEL C
• Application Number:
  US14/806,819
• Publication Number:
  US 20150327853A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,118 Days
• Field of Search: 2271751, 2271761, 227 19, 606153
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0293 with ring member to support retractor elements
• 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 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00287 Bags for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00353 one mechanical instrument performing multiple functions, e.g. cutting and grasping channel for multiple instruments A61B2017/3445; instrument channel A61B2017/22072; replaceable heads A61B2017/2931; suction A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0225 flexible, e.g. fabrics, meshes, or membranes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0287 with elastic retracting members connectable to a frame, e.g. hooked elastic wires
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0443 Modular apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated

Abstract

Circular stapling instruments and anvil assemblies. The anvil assemblies may have collapsible anvil support members that may be inserted through an opening in a patient and then expanded to be attached to an anvil plate assembly that has a staple-forming surface thereon. The anvil support member is attachable to the anvil plate assembly in such a way that when the anvil assembly is coupled to the stapling head of a circular stapler, the staple-forming surface is in substantial registry with the staples supported in the stapling head. A variety of different anvil support members and anvil plate assemblies are disclosed.

Claims

1. A circular surgical stapler with foldable anvil assembly, the circular surgical stapler comprising:

a shaft assembly;

a stapling head operably attached to said shaft assembly;

an axially movable anvil shaft comprising a distal end portion, said anvil shaft being selectively axially movable so as to move said distal end portion relative to said stapling head; and

a foldable anvil assembly operably supported on said anvil shaft, said foldable anvil assembly comprising;

an outer anvil plate assembly movably coupled to said anvil shaft; and

an inner anvil plate assembly movably coupled to said anvil shaft and selectively movable between a folded configuration to a radially deployed configuration upon application of an axial deployment motion thereto, said inner anvil plate assembly located radially inboard of said outer anvil plate assembly when in said folded configuration and when said inner anvil plate assembly is oriented in said radially deployed configuration, said inner anvil plate assembly operably retains said outer anvil plate assembly in a radially expanded annular configuration.

2. The circular surgical stapler of claim 1, wherein said shaft assembly comprises an axially movable actuator member operably interfacing with said inner anvil plate assembly for applying said axial deployment motion thereto.

3. The circular surgical stapler of claim 2, wherein said stapling head comprises a circular staple cartridge comprising two concentric collections of surgical staples configured to be fired therefrom, wherein one of said concentric collections of surgical staples corresponds to said outer anvil plate assembly and the other one of said concentric collections of circular staples corresponds to said inner anvil plate assembly.

4. The circular surgical stapler of claim 3, further comprising an axially deployable compression shaft that operably interfaces with said circular staple cartridge to selectively advance said two concentric collections of surgical staples out of said circular staple cartridge.

5. The circular surgical stapler of claim 4, further comprising means for adjusting a position of said distal end portion of said anvil shaft relative to said stapling head.

6. The circular surgical stapler of claim 5, wherein said means for adjusting is independently operable relative to said axially movable actuator member.

7. The circular surgical stapler of claim 6, wherein said distal end portion of said anvil shaft comprises a conical shaped portion.

8. The circular surgical stapler of claim 7 wherein said conical shaped portion comprises a sharp tip.

9. A surgical method, comprising:

providing the circular surgical stapler of claim 1;

positioning the inner anvil plate assembly in the folded configuration;

puncturing the distal end portion through a portion of a patient so as to locate the distal end portion of the anvil shaft in a desired position in the patient;

moving the inner anvil plate assembly to the radially expanded annular configuration;

positioning the radially expanded inner anvil plate assembly at a desired location relative to a circular staple cartridge in the circular surgical stapler to capture target tissue therebetween; and

firing surgical staples from the circular staple cartridge through the captured target tissue.

10. A circular surgical stapler with foldable anvil assembly, the circular surgical stapler comprising:

a shaft assembly comprising a deployment portion;

a stapling head operably attached to said shaft assembly;

an axially movable anvil shaft comprising a distal end portion, said anvil shaft being selectively axially movable so as to move said distal end portion relative to said stapling head; and

a foldable anvil assembly operably supported on said anvil shaft, said foldable anvil assembly comprising;

an outer anvil plate assembly movably coupled to said anvil shaft; and

an inner anvil plate assembly pivotally coupled to said anvil shaft and selectively movable between a folded configuration to a radially deployed configuration upon contact with said deployment portion, said inner anvil plate assembly located radially inboard of said outer anvil plate assembly when in said folded configuration and when said inner anvil plate assembly is oriented in said radially deployed configuration, said inner anvil plate assembly operably retains said outer anvil plate assembly in a radially expanded annular configuration.

11. The circular surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein said anvil shaft remains attached to said circular surgical stapler during initial insertion of said anvil shaft into a patient.

12. The circular surgical stapler of claim 11, wherein said inner anvil plate assembly comprises a plurality of inner anvil plates pivotally coupled to said anvil shaft.

13. The circular surgical stapler of claim 12, wherein said plurality of inner anvil plates comprises:

a central collar coupled to said anvil shaft;

a primary link corresponding to each said inner anvil plate assembly and pivotally coupled thereto and said central collar; and

a plurality of actuator blocks corresponding to each said inner anvil plate and pivotally coupled thereto, each said actuator block configured to receive a deployment motion from said deployment portion.

14. The circular surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein said outer anvil plate assembly comprises a plurality of outer anvil plates that are movably coupled to said distal end portion of said anvil shaft by a plurality of first links.

15. The circular surgical stapler of claim 14, wherein said plurality of outer anvil plates comprises four outer anvil plates.

16. The circular surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein said deployment portion comprises:

an axially movable deployment shaft; and

a slider switch on said shaft assembly and operably interfacing with said axially movable deployment shaft.

17. The circular surgical stapler of claim 10, wherein said anvil shaft extends through said shaft assembly and interfaces with a shaft actuator operably supported on a handle portion attached to said shaft assembly.

18. The circular surgical stapler of claim 17, wherein said anvil shaft is not detachable from said shaft actuator when said circular surgical stapler is inserted into a patient.