Surgical stapling instrument and method

A surgical stapling instrument for the stapling together of the free ends of two hollow organs comprising:

• a. an elongated tubular body;
• b. a base unit concentrically connected to the body, said base unit having a substantially cylindrical outer end portion which is positionable in one hollow organ to dispose the outer end portion thereof adjacent to the free end of the one hollow organ;
• c. a head unit having a substantially cylindrical inner end portion and means mounting the head unit concentric to the body unit with the inner end thereof face-to-face with the outer end of the body unit and for relative movement with respect to the body unit over a range wherein the inner end thereof is spaced apart from the outer end of the base unit and wherein the inner end of the head unit is substantially adjacent to the outer end of the base unit, the head unit positionable in the other hollow organ when the base unit is positioned in the one hollow organ, to dispose the inner end portion thereof adjacent to the free end of the other hollow organ;
• d. actuatable stapling means comprising a first portion thereof disposed in the base unit, a second portion thereof aligned with the first portion and disposed in the head unit, the first and second stapling portions disposed concentric with the tubular body and in the annular area inward of the outer periphery of the outer and inner ends of the base and head units respectively, for stapling together the free ends of the hollow organs, upon actuation, when the base and head units are substantially adjacent;
• e. means mounted on the base and head units and projecting outwardly from the outer and inner ends thereof, respectively, to extend therebetween an disposed in the annular area inwardly of the annular area of the first and second stapling portions for holding the free ends of the hollow organs inwardly of the stapling portions to maintain same in position on the base and head units during the relative movement of the base and head units toward each other and during the actuation of the stapling means;
• f. actuatable cutting means having a first portion thereof disposed in the base unit and a second portion aligned with the first portion and disposed in the head unit, the first and second cutting portions disposed concentric with the tubular body and in the annular area between the holding means and the stapling means for cutting off excess tissue inwardly of the staples, upon actuation, when the base and head units are substantially adjacent;
• and
• g. manual means for actuating the stapling means and the cutting means.