Directionally biased staple and method of manufacturing

• US 20040006372A1
• Filed: 04/28/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Racenet, David C., Cunningham, Scott, Bayer, Hanspeter
• Granted Patent: US 7,824,426 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/219
• 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 17/0682 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 17/072 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 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395

Abstract

In accordance with the present disclosure a directionally biased staple is provided for use in all types of surgical staplers having anvil structure against which the staple is formed. The directionally biased staple may be constructed in a wide variety of cross-sectional configurations including rectangular, elliptical, trapezoidal, etc. All of the configurations are distinguished by having a bending region requiring more force to twist or malform the staple than is required to properly form the staple. Preferably, these staples have Moment of Inertia Ratios on the order of between about 1.1 to about 3.0. The staple preferably corresponds in other respects to conventional formed staples, i.e. having at least a pair of leg members interconnected by a crown portion wherein the leg members are formed by direct contact with the anvil.

Claims

1. A directionally biased surgical staple for use with a stapler having a cartridge portion and an anvil portion spaced apart from the cartridge portion wherein when the anvil and cartridge are configured to compress tissue therebetween, the anvil having a plurality of anvil pockets, the staple comprising:

a backspan;

a pair of deformable legs depending from the back span, the legs configured to come into contact with the anvil pockets for formation of the staple; and

the staple including a bending region encompassing the deformable legs, the bending region having abase dimension and a height dimension, the base dimension being greater than the height dimension.

2. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the bending region is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

3. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the bending region is substantially oblate in cross-section.

4. The directionally biased staple of claim 1, wherein the bending region defines a moment of inertia ratio of between about 1.1 to about 3.0.

5. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 3, wherein the staple is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and stainless steel.

6. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 4, wherein the bending region is formed of titanium and has a moment of inertia ratio of between about 2.0 to about 2.7.

7. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 4, wherein the bending region is formed of stainless steel and has an aspect ratio of between about 2.0 to about 2.7.

8. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 1, wherein the bending region is formed in a shape corresponding substantially to the group of shapes consisting of an ellipse, a trapezoid a triangle and a semicircle.

9. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 1, further comprising a penetrating structure formed on a distal end portion of at least one of the legs.

10. The directionally biased surgical staple of claim 8, wherein the penetrating structure is a pointed tip on an inner side of the leg.

11. The directionally biased surgical staple as in claim 9, wherein the bending portion of the staple is substantially rectangular in cross-section with a base dimension greater than a height dimension.

12. The directionally biased surgical staple as in claim 9, wherein the bending portion of the staple is formed in a shape corresponding substantially to the group of shapes consisting of an ellipse, a trapezoid and a semicircle.

13. The directionally biased surgical staple as in claim 9, wherein the staple is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and stainless steel.

14. The directionally biased surgical staple as in claim 1, wherein the staple legs are substantially straight along their length.

15. The directionally biased surgical staple as in claim 1, wherein each of the legs has a distal end formed in a chisel shape with a point adjacent an inner side of the leg.

16. A surgical staple having first and second legs and being deformable by contact of the legs with anvil pockets of an anvil, the staple comprising:

a backspan;

at least two deformable legs depending from the backspan, the legs configured to be driven through tissue and into contact with anvil pockets of an anvil; and

the backspan and legs configured to have a moment of inertia ratio of between about 1.1 to about 3.0.

17. The surgical staple of claim 16, wherein the staple includes a bending portion having a base dimension and a height dimension, the base dimension being greater than the height dimension.

18. The surgical staple of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the staple legs has a substantially rectangular cross-section.

19. The surgical staple of claim 17, wherein the staple is formed from a material selected from the group consisting of titanium and stainless steel.

20. A surgical stapler comprising:

an anvil having a plurality of anvil pockets;

a staple cartridge configured to hold at least two surgical staples wherein tissue is compressed between the anvil and staple cartridge when the anvil and cartridge are placed in an approximated position;

a pusher for contacting and driving the staple into the anvil such that each staple leg contacts an anvil pocket to form the staple; and

a surgical staple positioned in the staple cartridge, the surgical staple having a backspan, a pair of deformable legs and a bending region having a base dimension and a height dimension, the base dimension being greater than the height dimension.

21. Then surgical staple of claim 20, wherein the structure for driving the surgical staples is configured to drive the staples simultaneously into the anvil.

22. The surgical staple of claim 20, wherein the structure for driving the surgical staples is configured to drive the staples sequentially into the anvil.