Apparatus for applying two-part surgical fasteners

A surgical fastening apparatus comprising:

• a channel member for mounting a fastener cartridge;
• a pusher assembly mounted within said channel member, said pusher assembly having at least one cam bar for sequentially firing fasteners and a cam bar retainer for mounting said cam bar;
• and
• means for engaging a bottom surface of said can bar retainer upon retraction of said cam bar retainer after firing the fasteners to thereby block forward movement of said cam bar retainer.

A surgical fastening apparatus for applying at least one row of two-part surgical fasteners, each surgical fastener having a pronged fastener portion and a retainer, which comprises:

• means for holding said pronged fastener portions of said two part surgical fasteners;
• a retainer cartridge having means for holding a plurality of retainers in positions opposite said fastener portions;
• means for sequentially driving said fastener portions of said two part fasteners into engagement with their respective opposed retainers;
• and
• locking means for preventing reactuation of the driving means after firing of the fasteners.

A surgical fastening apparatus for applying two part surgical fasteners to body tissue, each surgical fastener having a pronged fastener portion and a retainer dimensioned to receive the pronged fastener portion, said apparatus comprising:

• a channel member for mounting a fastener cartridge having a plurality of pronged fastener portions;
• a pusher assembly mounted within said channel member and having a cam bar retainer mounted therein for sliding movement between a proximal position and a distal position;
• at least one cam bar mounted to said cam bar retainer and engagable with said pronged fastener portions to sequentially drive said pronged fastener portions in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of said cam bar retainer when said cam bar retainer is slid to said distal position;
• a retainer cartridge having a plurality of retainers mounted therein in positions opposite said respective pronged fastener portions, said retainers engaging said pronged fastener portions when said pronged fastener portions are driven to said cam bar;
• and
• a locking mechanism engagable with said cam bar retainer to prevent distal movement of said cam bar retainer after said pronged fastener portions have been fired.

A surgical fastener comprising:

• an elongate member for supporting fastener holding means;
• a pusher assembly mounted to said elongate member and having at least one cam bar for sequentially firing fasteners;
• cam bar retainer means for mounting said cam bar;
• a projection extending from said cam bar retainer;
• engaging means fixedly positioned with respect to said elongate member and extending generally inwardly from one side portion thereof and adapted to engage said projection of said cam bar retainer after firing fasteners so as to block distal movement of said cam bar retainer.

A surgical apparatus for firing fasteners comprising:

• a first section having means for receiving a fastener cartridge;
• a second section adapted to be positioned opposite said first section to grip tissue between said first and second sections;
• a pusher assembly slidably mounted within said first section and having first and second cam bars movable longitudinally therein from a first position to a second position distal of said first position for sequentially firing fasteners;
• a retainer member having a first aperture for receiving at least a portion of said first cam bar and a second aperture for receiving at least a portion of said second cam bar, said retainer member having a projecting surface extending toward said second section;
• an engaging member engagable with said projecting surface, said projecting surface positioned distal of said engaging member at least when said apparatus is in a first condition prior to firing the fasteners;
• means for advancing said first and second cam bars to sequentially fire the fasteners;
• said engaging member engagable with said projecting surface after retraction of said cam bars after firing the fasteners to thereby prevent distal movement of said cam bars to said second position.

A surgical fastening apparatus comprising:

• a channel member having at least one side wall;
• a pusher assembly slidably mounted within said channel member, said pusher assembly having at least one cam bar longitudinally movable through said channel member for sequentially firing fasteners, and a cam bar retainer for mounting said cam bar;
• a projection formed on a bottom surface of said cam bar retainer;
• and
• hook means secured to said at least one side wall and engagable with said projection upon retraction of said cam bar retainer after moving said cam bar retainer distally to fire the fasteners, said engagement between said hook means and said projection thereby blocking distal movement of said cam bar retainer.

A surgical fastening apparatus comprising:

• a channel member;
• a pusher assembly slidably mounted with respect to said channel member, said pusher assembly having at least one cam bar longitudinally movable with respect to said channel member for sequentially firing fasteners, and a cam bar retainer for mounting said cam bar;
• a projection extending from one surface portion of said cam bar retainer;
• and
• means positioned proximal of said projection and engagable with said projection upon proximal retraction of said cam bar retainer after moving said cam bar retainer distally to fire the fasteners so as to thereby block distal movement of said cam bar retainer.

A surgical fastening apparatus comprising:

• a channel member;
• a pusher assembly slidably mounted within said channel member, said pusher assembly having at least one cam bar longitudinally movable through said channel member for sequentially firing fasteners, and a cam bar retainer for mounting said cam bar;
• hook means fixedly positioned relative to said channel member and movable in directions generally transverse to the direction of movement of the fasteners;
• interference means associated with said cam bar retainer and positioned to avoid engagement with said hook means when said hook means is in the normal position, said interference means being dimensioned, configured and positioned for engagement by said hook means upon retraction of said cam bar retainer after firing the fasteners to thereby block distal movement of said cam bar retainer.

A surgical fastening apparatus comprising:

• a channel member;
• a pusher assembly slidably mounted within said channel member, said pusher assembly having at least one cam bar longitudinally movable through said channel member for sequentially firing fasteners, and a cam bar retainer for mounting said cam bar;
• engaging means positioned relative to said channel member and movable in directions generally transverse to the direction of movement of the fasteners;
• a projection extending from one surface portion of said cam bar retainer and over a minor portion of the widthwise dimension of said surface portion, said projection being dimensioned, configured and positioned for engagement by said engaging means upon retraction of said cam bar retainer after firing the fasteners to thereby block distal movement of said cam bar retainer.