Endoscopic stapling device and method
OwnerNaomi L. Nakao, Peter J. Wilkinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical instrument comprises an elongate forceps member having a diameter sufficiently small so that the forceps member is slidably insertable into a biopsy channel extending longitudinally through a tubular endoscope member, the forceps member being provided at a distal end with a pair of forceps jaws each formed on an inwardly facing surface with a longitudinally extending groove. A staple having a spring bias construction tending to force the staple into an opened configuration is disposed in a closed prefiring configuration between the jaws and has a pair of legs each disposed in the closed prefiring configuration in a respective one of the grooves in the forceps jaws. The provided with locking elements for locking the staple in a closed postfiring configuration.
Claims29
A method for stapling internal body tissues, comprising the steps of:
- providing a staple having a spring bias tending to force said staple into an opened configuration, said staple having a pair of legs connected to one another by a bight portion and further having means for maintaining said staple in a closed postfiring configuration;
- exerting a closure force on said staple to hold said staple in a closed prefiring configuration inside the distal end of a surgical instrument in opposition to said spring bias;
- shifting said staple in a distal direction to eject said staple from said surgical instrument;
- relaxing said closure force, thereby permitting said staple to open under said spring bias;
- inserting distal ends of said legs into the internal body tissues to be stapled;
- and
- closing said staple and maintaining said staple in said closed postfiring configuration.
A method for performing a surgical operation on internal body tissues of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- inserting a tubular member through an aperture in the patient's body;
- using an endoscopic member to visually located the internal body tissues inside the patient's body;
- upon locating said surgical site, pushing an elongate forceps member in a distal direction through a biopsy channel in said tubular member to eject a staple stored in a closed configuration between jaws of said forceps member inside said channel at a distal end of said tubular member;
- upon ejection of said staple from said channel, opening said jaws and opening said staple from said closed configuration to an opened configuration;
- pushing said forceps member further in the distal direction to move the opened staple and said jaws towards said internal body tissues;
- closing said jaws to grip said internal body tissues and to close said staple in said body tissues;
- maintaining said staple in a closed postfiring configuration in said internal body tissues;
- upon closure of said staple, opening said forceps member to release said internal body tissues;
- upon such opening of said forceps member, retracting said forceps member into said channel;
- and
- upon retraction of said forceps member into said channel, withdrawing said tubular endoscope member out of the patient's body through said aperture.
A method for performing a surgical operation on internal body tissues of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- inserting a tubular member through an aperture in the patient's body;
- using an endoscopic member to visually locate the internal body tissues inside the patient's body;
- upon locating said surgical site, pushing an elongate ejector member in a distal direction through a biopsy channel in said tubular member to eject a staple stored in a closed configuration inside said channel at a distal end of said tubular member;
- upon ejection of said staple from said channel, opening said staple from said closed configuration to an opened configuration;
- pushing the opened staple towards said internal body tissues;
- upon contact of said opened staple with said internal body tissues, closing said staple about a portion of said internal body tissues, and
- upon closure of said staple, withdrawing said tubular member out of the patient's body through said aperture.
A surgical instrument utilizable with an endoscope or rigid tubular member for performing an endoscopic or laparoscopic stapling operation, comprising:
- an elongate forceps member having a diameter sufficiently small so that said forceps member is slidably insertable into a biopsy channel extending longitudinally through an outer tubular member, said forceps member being provided at a distal end with a pair of forceps jaws each formed on an inwardly facing surface with a longitudinally extending groove;
- actuating means for manipulating said jaws between an opened position and a closed position;
- a first staple having a spring bias tending to force said staple into an opened configuration, said staple being disposed in a closed prefiring configuration between said jaws when said jaws are closed, said staple having legs each disposed in said closed prefiring configuration in a respective one of the grooves, said staple having closure means for maintaining said staple in a closed postfiring configuration upon a closing of said jaws;
- a plurality of second staples each having a spring bias tending to force the respective second staple into an opened configuration;
- holder means for holding said second staples so that said second staples are disposed end to end in a closed prefiring configuration and in a substantially linear array having a predetermined position relative to said forceps jaws;
- and
- means for advancing said second staples in a distal direction towards said jaws upon a firing of said first staple.
A surgical device utilizable with an endoscope or rigid tubular member for performing an endoscopic or laparoscopic stapling operation, comprising:
- a first staple having a spring bias tending to force said staple into an opened configuration;
- means for holding said first staple in a closed prefiring configuration at a distal end of an elongate surgical instrument;
- ejector means for ejecting said first staple from the distal end of said instrument;
- actuating means operatively connected to said ejector means for actuating same;
- a plurality of second staples each having a spring bias tending to force the respective second staple into an opened configuration;
- holder means in said instrument for holding said second staples so that said second staples are disposed end to end in a closed prefiring configuration and in a substantially linear array having a predetermined position relative to said means for holding;
- and
- means for advancing said second staples towards the distal end of said instrument upon a firing of said first staple.
A surgical device utilizable with an endoscope or rigid tubular member for performing an endoscopic or laparoscopic stapling operation, comprising:
- a forceps member slidably disposable inside a biopsy channel of an endoscopic or laparoscopic instrument;
- actuating means operatively connected to said forceps member for manipulating jaws of said forceps member between opened and closed positions;
- a staple disposed in a closed prefiring configuration between said jaws when said jaws are closed;
- and
- locking means for temporarily locking said staple to said jaws at least during an opening motion of said jaws.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.