Surgical stapling device with staple driver that supports multiple wire diameter staples

• US 20070194080A1
• Filed: 02/28/2007
• Published: 08/23/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hueil, Joseph, Swayze, Jeffrey, Shelton, Frederick, Morgan, Jerome
• Granted Patent: US 7,673,781 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0682 for applying U-shaped staples or clamps, e.g. without a forming anvil
• 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 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07235 containing different staples, e.g. staples of different shapes, sizes or materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: B25C 5/0292 with the objects to be stapled together introduced perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the tool in an opening formed by an anvil and a plunger

Abstract

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling device. The stapling device has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil that is moveable between open and closed positions. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a first plurality of staple drivers. Each staple driver has an upper staple supporting surface for supporting one of the staples such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives the staple into the anvil. The upper staple supporting surface supports staples of different wire diameters in an upright position.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil that is moveable between open and closed positions, the staple cartridge comprising:

a plurality of staples;

a first plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver of the first plurality of staple drivers has an upper staple supporting surface for supporting one of the plurality of staples such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives the staple into the anvil, wherein the upper staple supporting surface supports staples of different wire diameters in an upright position.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the upper staple supporting surface of the first plurality of staple drivers supports staples with a wire diameter of between 0.006 inches to 0.012 inches.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 1, further comprising a second plurality of staple drivers, each of the second plurality of staple drivers having an upper staple supporting surface that cannot support staples of different wire diameters.

4. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the upper staple supporting surfaces of the first plurality of staple drivers each comprise at least one set of convex bumps such that one of the plurality of staples is supportable in the upright position between the at least one set of convex bumps.

5. The staple cartridge of claim 4, wherein the upper staple supporting surfaces of the first plurality of staple drivers each comprise two inner sets of convex bumps and two outer sets of convex bumps that define a channel for supporting a staple in the upright position.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 5, wherein the inner sets of convex bumps are larger than the outer sets of convex bumps.

7. A surgical stapling device comprising an end effector that comprises:

an anvil having a staple forming surface;

a plurality of staples;

a first plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver of the first plurality of staple drivers has an upper staple supporting surface for supporting one of the plurality of staples such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives the staple into the anvil, wherein the upper staple supporting surface supports staples of different wire diameters in an upright position.

8. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, wherein the upper staple supporting surface of the first plurality of staple drivers supports staples with a wire diameter of between 0.060 inches to 0.120 inches.

9. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, further comprising a second plurality of staple drivers, each of the second plurality of staple drivers having an upper staple supporting surface that cannot support staples of different wire diameters.

10. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, wherein the upper staple supporting surfaces of the first plurality of staple drivers each comprise at least one set of convex bumps such that one of the plurality of staples is supportable in the upright position between the at least one set of convex bumps.

11. The surgical stapling device of claim 10, wherein the upper staple supporting surfaces of the first plurality of staple drivers each comprise two inner sets of convex bumps and two outer sets of convex bumps that define a channel for supporting a staple in the upright position.

12. The surgical stapling device of claim 11, wherein the inner sets of convex bumps are larger than the outer sets of convex bumps.

13. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, wherein the end effector further comprises a cutting instrument for cutting tissue clamped in the end effector.

14. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, wherein the anvil is circular.

15. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, wherein the anvil is linear.

16. The surgical stapling device of claim 7, further comprising:

a shaft assembly connected to the end effector; and

a handle assembly connected to the shaft assembly.

17. A surgical stapling device comprising an end effector that comprises:

an anvil having a staple forming surface;

a plurality of staples;

a plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver is configured such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives one of the plurality of staples into the staple forming surface of the anvil, wherein a first quantity of the plurality of staples comprise a first material and a second quantity of the plurality of staples comprise a second material, wherein the first material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material.

18. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil that is moveable between open and closed positions, the staple cartridge comprising:

a plurality of staples;

a plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver is configured such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives one of the plurality of staples of the cartridge into the staple forming surface of the anvil, wherein a first quantity of the plurality of staples comprise a first material and a second quantity of the plurality of staples comprise a second material, wherein the first material has a lower modulus of elasticity than the second material.

19. A surgical stapling device comprising an end effector that comprises:

an anvil having a staple forming surface;

a plurality of staples;

a plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver is configured such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives one of the plurality of staples into the staple forming surface of the anvil, wherein a first quantity of the plurality of staples has a first wire diameter and a second quantity of the plurality of staples has a second wire diameter, wherein the first wire diameter is less than the second wire diameter.

20. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling device that has an actuator that is selectively actuatable in an axial direction and an anvil that is moveable between open and closed positions, the staple cartridge comprising:

a plurality of staples;

a plurality of staple drivers, wherein each staple driver is configured such that, when actuated, each staple driver drives one of the plurality of staples of the cartridge into the staple forming surface of the anvil, wherein a first quantity of the plurality of staples has a first wire diameter and a second quantity of the plurality of staples has a second wire diameter, wherein the first wire diameter is less than the second wire diameter.