Flexible surgical stapler assembly

A kit for use in a procedure for sugically stapling tissue, the kit comprising:

• a handle actuator assembly comprising:
• a housing defining an inner cavity therein;
• a cable carrier slidable within the cavity and including cable connection means for connecting the cable carrier to a length of flexible cable;
• and
• a handle means on the housing selectively operatively connected to the cable carrier;
• a staple firing head assembly comprising:
• an anvil assembly means including and anvil surface, which anvil surface includes an array of staple forming depressions and including cable connection means for connecting the anvil assembly means to a length of flexible cable;
• a staple housing means for carrying an array of staples;
• and
• a staple pusher means for exerting a force on staples in the staple housing means to eject the staples from the staple housing means and form the staples against the anvil surface;
• and
• a length of flexible cable capable of being connected at one of its ends to the cable carrier in the handle actuator assembly and at its other end to the anvil assembly means of the staple firing head assembly, which length of flexible cable extends at least along a portion of its length through a plurality of spine segment means for maintaining the staple pusher means in a fixed position along the length of flexible cable relative to the handle actuator assembly when the handle actuator assembly, length of flexible cable and staple firing head assembly are operatively interconnected.

A surgical stapling instrument assembly comprising:

• a staple firing head assembly comprising:
• a staple cartridge receiving means for receiving a staple cartridge carrying an array of staples and staple drivers for such staples;
• an anvil assembly means including an anvil surface, which anvil surface includes an array of staple forming depressions;
• an anvil shaft on the anvil assembly means;
• and
• staple pusher means for contacting the staple drivers in the staple cartridge to force the staple drivers against the staples and the staples subsequently against the anvil surface as the staple cartridge receiving means, anvil assembly means, and anvil shaft move with respect to the staple pusher means;
• a handle actuator assembly comprising:
• a housing defining an inner cavity therein;
• a carrier bolt movable within the cavity therein;
• connecting means attached to the carrier bolt and to the anvil assembly means for imparting movement to the anvil assembly means when the carrier bolt is moved;
• a first lever arm pivotally attached to the housing;
• a second lever arm pivotally attached to the first lever arm and cooperatively attachable to the carrier bolt;
• and
• tissue approximation means on the housing operatively connected to the carrier bolt for selectively adjusting the position of the carrier bolt within the cavity;
• and
• static means extending between the housing of the handle actuator assembly and the staple pusher means of the staple firing head assembly for maintaining the staple pusher means in a fixed position with regard to movement toward the housing of the handle actuator assembly along the connecting means when the carrier bolt, connecting means, and anvil assembly means move.

A staple firing head assembly adapted for use with a flexible surgical stapling instrument, the staple firing head assembly comprising:

• a staple cartridge receiving means for receiving a cartridge carrying an array of staples and staple drivers for such staples;
• an anvil assembly means including an anvil surface and an array of staple forming depressing on such anvil surface for forming staples;
• an anvil shaft on the anvil assembly means;
• and
• staple pusher means rearwardly of the staple cartridge receiving means for contacting the staple drivers to force the staple drivers against the staples in a cartridge and the staples subsequently against the staple forming depressions on the anvil surface as the staple cartridge receiving means, anvil assembly means, and anvil shaft move rearward toward the staple pusher means.

A flexible surgical stapler assembly comprising:

• a staple firing head assembly comprising:
• an anvil assembly means providing an anvil surface, which anvil surface includes an array of staple forming depressions;
• a staple housing means for carrying an array of staples;
• an array of staples in the staple housing means;
• and
• a staple pusher means for exerting a force on the staples in the staple housing means to eject the staples from the staple housing means and form the staples against the anvil surface;
• a handle actuator assembly comprising:
• a housing defining an inner cavity therein;
• a cable carrier slidable within the cavity;
• a length of flexible cable connected at one of its ends to the cable carrier and at its other end to the anvil assembly means of the staple firing head assembly;
• and
• a handle means on the housing selectively operatively connected to the cable carrier for moving the cable carrier and concomitantly forcing the staples out of the staple housing means and forming the staples against the anvil surface;
• and
• static means extending between the handle actuator assembly and staple firing head assembly for maintaining the staple pusher means in a fixed position with regard to movement toward the handle actuator along the length of flexible cable when the anvil assembly means, length of flexible cable, and staple housing means move toward the handle actuator assembly.