Articulated surgical fastener applying apparatus

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

• a distal fastener applying assembly including (a) a fastener holding part initially containing at least one surgical fastener, (b) an anvil part movable relative to the fastener holding part for clamping tissue to be fastened between the fastener holding part and the anvil part, and (c) first means for driving the fastener from the fastener holding part at least partially through the clamped tissue to the anvil part;
• a proximal actuator assembly including second means for producing the work necessary to operate the first means;
• and
• a longitudinal shaft assembly for supporting the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly and for transmitting the work produced by the second means to the first means, the shaft assembly including a first articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator asssembly about a first axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the first articulation, and the shaft assembly being substantially inflexible about all other axes parallel to the first axis, the shaft assembly further including a second articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly about the longititudianl axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the second articulation, the shaft assembly also including second detent means for releasably retaining the second articulation in any of a plurality of rotational positions.

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

• a distal fastener applying assembly including (a) a fastener holding part initially containing at least one surgical fastener, (b) an anvil part movable relative to the fastener holding part for clamping tissue to be fastened between the fastener holding part and the anvil part, and (c) first means for driving the fastener from the fastener holding part at least partially through the clamped tissue to the anvil part;
• a proximal actuator assembly including second means for producing the work necessary to operate the first means;
• and
• a longitudinal shaft assembly for supporting the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly and for transmitting the work produced by the second means to the first means, the shaft assembly including a first articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly about a first axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the first articulation, and the shaft assembly being substantially inflexible about all other axes parallel to the first axis, the shaft assembly further including a second articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly about the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the second articulation, the shaft assembly also including second locking means for locking the second articulation in any of a plurality of rotational positions.

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

• a distal fastener applying assembly including (a) a fastener holding part initially containing at least one surgical fastener, (b) an anvil part movable relative to the fastener holding part for clamping tissue to be fastened between the fastener holding part and the anvil part, and (c) first means for driving the fastener from the fastener holding part at least partially through the clamped tissue to the anvil part;
• a proximal actuator assembly including second means for producing the work necessary to operate the first means;
• and
• a longitudinal shaft assembly for supporting the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly and for transmitting the work produced by the second means to the first means, the shaft assembly comprising a tube and means including a single first articulation at one end of said tube for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly about a first axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly further including a second articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly and the first axis relative to the actuator assembly about the longitudinal axis of the axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the first articulation and at any rotational positional of the second articulation, and the shaft assembly being substantially inflexible about all axes other than the first axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly.

Surgical fastener applying apparatus comprising:

• a distal fastener applying assembly including (a) a fastener holding part initially containing at least one surgical fastener, (b) an anvil part movable relative to the fastener holding part for clamping tissue to be fastened between the fastener holding part and the anvil part, and (c) first means for driving the fastener from the fastener holding part at least partially through the clamped tissue to the anvil part;
• a proximal actuator assembly including second means for producing the work necessary to operate the first means;
• and
• a longitudinal shaft assembly for supporting the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly and for transmitting the work produced by the second means to the first means, the shaft assembly including a first articulation for allowing rotation of the fastener applying assembly relative to the actuator assembly about a first axis which is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the shaft assembly, the shaft assembly being operative to transmit work from the second means to the first means at any rotational position of the first articulation, and the shaft assembly being substantially inflexible about all other axes parallel to the first axis, the shaft assembly further including first detent means for releasably retaining the first articulation in any of a plurality of rotational positions so that the fastener applying assembly can be rotated from one rotational position to another merely by a manual application of a torque above a predetermined threshold.