Self contained gas powered surgical apparatus

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners comprising:

• a) a frame portion;
• b) a body portion extending from said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis;
• c) a fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end portion of said body portion, said fastener applying assembly including:
• i) a base portion defining a second longitudinal axis;
• ii) a cartridge assembly mounted to said base portion and having a tissue engaging surface thereon, said cartridge assembly containing at least one surgical fastener therein;
• iii) an anvil member having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member mounted adjacent said base portion and adapted for relative movement between an open position wherein said fastener forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said fastener forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said tissue engaging surface;
• d) means associated with said frame portion for causing said anvil member and said cartridge assembly to move between said open and closed positions;
• e) means for ejecting said surgical fastener from said cartridge assembly;
• f) first means for effectuating articulation of said fastener applying assembly between a first position substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a second position substantially angularly disposed with respect to said first longitudinal axis;
• g) second means for effectuating rotation of said fastener applying assembly about said first longitudinal axis relative to said frame portion;
• and
• h) third means for effectuating independent rotation of said cartridge assembly and anvil member relative to said second longitudinal axis.

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical staples comprising:

• a) a frame portion;
• b) a body portion extending longitudinally from said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis;
• c) a staple applying assembly associated with the distal end portion of said body portion, said staple applying assembly including:
• i) a base portion defining a second longitudinal axis;
• ii) a replaceable cartridge assembly having a tissue engaging surface thereon, said cartridge assembly being removably mounted to said base portion and configured and dimensioned to contain a plurality of surgical staples therein;
• iii) an anvil member having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member mounted relative to said cartridge assembly such that said cartridge assembly is movable from an open position wherein said staple forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said staple forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said engaging surface of said cartridge assembly;
• d) remotely actuable means for sequentially ejecting said surgical staples from said cartridge assembly to form against said staple forming surface of said anvil member;
• e) a pneumatic actuator system associated with said frame portion and including a self-contained supply of pressurized gas and a pneumatic actuator mechanism configured to be actuable by a portion of said gas supply, said pneumatic system operatively connected to said means for ejecting said surgical staples;
• f) first means for remotely effectuating articulation of said staple applying assembly between a first position substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a second position substantially angularly disposed with respect to said first longitudinal axis;
• g) second means for remotely effectuating rotation of said staple applying assembly about said first longitudinal axis relative to said frame portion;
• and
• h) third means for independently, remotely effectuating rotation of said replaceable cartridge assembly and said anvil member relative to said second longitudinal axis.