Surgical cutting and stapling device with closure apparatus for limiting maximum tissue compression force

• US 7,665,647 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Shelton, Frederick E. IV, Swayze, Jeffrey S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rada; Rinaldi I.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks; Gloria R.
• Application Number:
  US11/541,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078801A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 227/175.1, 227/177.1, 227/181.1
• US Class Current: 227/177.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• 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 17/072 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 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• 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 2017/0725 : with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 : Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments by marking A61B2090/395
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 : pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted into a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes an elongate channel that is configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein. An anvil is operably coupled to the elongate channel and is selectively movable between open and closed positions. A closure tube assembly interfaces with the anvil to selectively apply a closing force thereto in response to a closing motion applied to the closure tube assembly. At least one force limiting member interacts with the closure tube assembly to limit an amount of the closing force applied to the anvil by the closure tube assembly in response to a resistive force experienced by the anvil when clamping tissue between the anvil and the elongate channel. The force limiting member may comprise one or more spring sections in the closure tube assembly or at least one leaf spring in the distal end of the closure tube assembly. Other embodiments may include steps formed in a ramp portion of the anvil for engaging the distal end of the closure tube assembly.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a cartridge supporting assembly configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein;

an anvil operably coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly and being selectively movable between open and closed positions;

a closure member interfacing with said anvil to selectively apply a closing force thereto in response to a closing motion applied to said closure member and an opening force thereto in response to an opening motion applied to said closure member; and

a ramp portion formed on a proximal end of said anvil for selective contact by a distal end of said closure member; and

at least two steps sequentially formed in said ramp portion in a distal direction for selective engagement by said distal end of said closure member as said closure member is advanced in the distal direction on said ramp to limit an amount of the closing force applied to said anvil by said closure member.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 further comprising:

a handle assembly operably supporting said closure drive; and

a closure trigger operably supported by said handle assembly and interacting with said closure drive such that activation of said closure trigger in a closing direction causes closure drive to apply said closure motion to said closure member and activation of said closure trigger in an opening direction causes said closure drive to apply said opening motion to said closure member.

3. A surgical instrument, comprising:

a handle assembly;

an elongate spine coupled to said handle assembly;

an elongate channel distally coupled to said elongate spine and configured to support a staple cartridge therein;

an anvil operably coupled to said elongate channel and selectively movable between open and closed positions;

a closure tube assembly defining a closure axis and movably received on said elongate spine, said closure tube assembly having a distal end portion oriented to selectively interact with said anvil to cause said anvil to move between said open and closed positions;

a closure drive operably supported within said handle assembly movably supporting a proximal end portion of said closure tube assembly therein and being operable to selectively apply opening and closing motions to said closure tube assembly such that upon application of said closure motion to said closure tube assembly, said closure tube assembly applies a closing force to said anvil; and

at least one force limiting member supported by said closure drive for travel therewith for interacting with said closure tube assembly to limit an amount of the closing force applied to said anvil by said closure tube assembly in response to a resistive force experienced by said anvil when clamping tissue between said anvil and said elongate channel, wherein said force limiting member defines a compression axis that is substantially parallel with the closure axis defined by said closure tube assembly.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 wherein said anvil is pivotally coupled to said elongate channel by a pair of trunnions formed on said anvil and received in corresponding elongated slots in said elongate channel member.

5. A surgical instrument comprising:

a cartridge supporting assembly configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein;

an anvil operably coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly and being selectively movable between open and closed positions; and

a variable length closure member defining a closure axis and supported for selective contact with said anvil to selectively apply a closing force thereto in response to a closing motion applied to said closure member and an opening force thereto in response to an opening motion applied to said closure member, said closure member having a resilient portion therein configured to enable the length of said closure member to change in response to a resistive force experienced by said anvil when clamping tissue between said anvil and a staple cartridge supported in said cartridge supporting assembly, wherein said resilient portion defines a compression axis that is substantially parallel with the closure axis defined by said closure member.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 wherein said resilient portion comprises a leaf spring formed in a distal end of said closure member and oriented for selective contact with a portion of said anvil during the application of said closing force to said anvil.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 5 wherein said anvil is pivotally coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 5 wherein a magnitude of said resistive force is dependent upon a thickness of the tissue clamped between said anvil and the cartridge supported in said cartridge supporting assembly.

9. A method for processing an instrument for surgery, said method comprising:

obtaining said surgical instrument of claim 5;

sterilizing said surgical instrument; and

storing said instrument in a sterile container.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 5 wherein said resilient portion comprises at least one spring segment formed in said closure member.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 wherein said at least one spring segment comprises a helical spring section integrally formed in said closure member.

12. A surgical instrument comprising:

a cartridge supporting assembly configured to operably support a staple cartridge therein;

an anvil operably coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly and being selectively movable between open and closed positions; and

closure means for selectively apply a closing force to said anvil and an opening force to said anvil, wherein said closure means defines a closure axis; and

force limiting means for interacting with said closure means to limit an amount of the closing force applied to said anvil by said closure means in response to a resistive force experienced by said anvil when clamping tissue between said anvil and said elongate channel, wherein said force limiting means defines a compression axis that is substantially parallel with the closure axis defined by said closure means.