APPARATUS FOR FORMING VARIABLE HEIGHT SURGICAL FASTENERS

• US 20120145768A1
• Filed: 01/05/2012
• Published: 06/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sorrentino, Gregory, Viola, Frank J., Cunningham, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,403,198 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/181.1
• 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 17/0684 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 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2944 Translation of jaw members

Abstract

A surgical device for applying a plurality of surgical staples is provided. The device includes a staple fastening assembly attached to a surgical instrument. The staple fastening assembly includes a pair of cooperating jaws, a jaw operating mechanism, and a gap sensor. A staple magazine having a plurality of staples and an anvil member having a plurality of staple pockets are attached to the jaws. The staple magazine includes a staple crimping cam and a staple dimpling cam that are operatively coupled to the surgical instrument. The jaw operating mechanism is operatively connected to a drive assembly in the surgical instrument for moving the jaws for automatically setting a tissue gap between the cooperating jaws. The gap sensor cooperates with the jaw operating mechanism for controlling staple formation.

Claims

1-21. -21. (canceled)

22. A surgical apparatus comprising:

a housing;

an elongate tubular member extending distally from the housing;

a fastening assembly located at a distal end of the elongate tubular member, the fastening assembly including a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw having a first tissue contacting surface and including a plurality of fasteners and a fastener driving assembly, the second jaw having a second tissue contacting surface and including an anvil; and

a jaw driving assembly for moving one of the first and second jaws towards the other of the first and second jaws, the jaw driving assembly including a cam, the cam contacting an outer surface of the second jaw such that rotation of the cam urges the second jaw towards the first jaw.

23. The surgical apparatus of claim 22, further comprising an actuating mechanism and the jaw driving assembly further includes a spring operatively coupling the cam and the actuating mechanism.

24. The surgical apparatus of claim 23, wherein movement of the spring in a first direction rotates the cam in a first direction and urges the second jaw towards the first jaw.

25. The surgical apparatus of claim 23, wherein a linking member operatively connects the cam and the spring.

26. The surgical apparatus of claim 22, wherein the cam is self locking upon sufficient rotation in a first direction.

27. A surgical apparatus comprising a surgical fastening assembly including a first jaw and a second jaw, the first jaw having a longitudinal axis and including a plurality of fasteners, the second jaw including an anvil, the first jaw including a first movable member, an ejector and a second movable member, wherein the first movable member is movable along the longitudinal axis of the first jaw, the ejector is movable by the first movable member transverse to the movement of the first movable member to eject a fastener from the first jaw, and the second movable member is movable into contact with a portion of the fastener ejected from the first jaw.

28. The surgical apparatus of claim 27, wherein the first movable member comprises a first sled having a camming surface.

29. The surgical apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a second sled, the second sled movable into contact with the second movable member to move the second movable member into contact with the portion of the fastener.

30. The surgical apparatus of claim 29, wherein the second movable member deforms a backspan of the surgical fastener to form a dimple therein.

31. The surgical apparatus of claim 28, further comprising a gap sensor having an opening configured to receive a driver for the second movable member when a preselected tissue gap is achieved.

32. The surgical apparatus of claim 31, wherein the second movable member is actuated if a fastener height below a predetermined height is needed.

33. The surgical apparatus of claim 28, wherein the second movable member comprises a dimpling rod.

34. The surgical apparatus of claim 27, wherein each fastener interacts with the anvil to form a completed fastener, the completed fastener having a size that is proportional to a gap between tissue contacting surfaces of the first and second jaws, the second movable member deforming a backspan of the corresponding fastener when a gap between the first and second jaws is less than a predetermined amount.

35. A surgical apparatus comprising:

a first jaw including a plurality of retention slots;

a second jaw including a plurality of grooves; and

a plurality of fasteners disposed in the plurality of retention slots, each fastener including first and second legs, wherein each groove is configured to direct the legs of the fastener towards each other resulting in a formed portion and an unformed portion in each leg, and wherein the formed portion of the first leg at least partially overlaps the unformed portion of the second leg.

36. The surgical apparatus of claim 35, wherein the groove is configured to direct the first leg and the second leg of the fastener towards each other while maintaining lateral separation of the legs.

37. The surgical apparatus of claim 35, wherein the formed portion of the first leg includes a section substantially parallel to the unformed portion of the second leg.

38. The surgical apparatus of claim 35, wherein the formed portion of the second leg at least partially overlaps the unformed portion of the first leg.

39. The surgical apparatus of claim 38, wherein the formed portion of the second leg includes a section substantially parallel to the unformed portion of the first leg.

40. The surgical apparatus of claim 35, further including a first driving mechanism and a second driving mechanism, the first driving mechanism configured to urge the fastener towards the groove and including a first sled and an ejector, and wherein distal movement of the first sled causes movement of an ejector towards the second jaw and urges the fastener towards the groove and the second driving mechanism includes a second sled and a movable member, wherein distal movement of the second sled causes movement of the movable member towards the second jaw, the movable member is configured to deform the backspan of the fastener.

41. The surgical apparatus of claim 40, further including a second driving mechanism is operable to deform a backspan of the fastener when a distance between the first and second jaws is less than a predetermined value.