Cartridge for Applying Varying Amounts of Tissue Compression
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.
25 Citations
33 Claims
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1-19. -19. (canceled)
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20. A surgical instrument, comprising:
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an anvil; and a cartridge defining a longitudinal axis, wherein the anvil and cartridge are adapted to grasp tissue positioned between the anvil and cartridge, the cartridge having a stepped profile so as to subject the tissue to at least two different values of compression along the longitudinal axis of the cartridge upon approximation of the anvil with respect to the cartridge. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification