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US 5,558,266 AGranted
Apparatus for applying surgical fasteners
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsDavid T. Green, Henry Bolanos, Keith Ratcliff, Lisa W. Heaton, John C. Robertson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical stapling or fastening instrument for applying surgical fasteners to tissue having an adjustable closure mechanism to linearly approximate the distance between the jaw members of the instrument. The adjustable closure mechanism consists of a retaining mechanism and a linkage structure which is actuable to linearly urge the jaw members towards each other. A coupling arrangement is also provided which permits firing of the staples or fasteners only when the jaw members are approximated a predetermined distance towards each other.
Claims66
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- tissue gripping means for holding tissue therebetween including a first jaw member and a second jaw member, said first jaw member including a plurality of fasteners positioned on said first jaw member;
- means for advancing said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to grip tissue therebetween prior to driving said fasteners into said tissue;
- means for retaining said advancing means along a linear path of travel to selectively position said first jaw member in a plurality of positions in relation to said second jaw member;
- means for releasing said retaining means from engagement with said advancing means, said releasing means being movable from a first position which permits said retaining means to engage said advancing means to a second position in which said releasing means engages said retaining means to move said retaining means out of engagement with said advancing means to permit said advancing means to return to a rest position;
- and
- means for driving said fasteners into said tissue subsequent to positioning said jaw members in relation to each other by said advancing means.
3 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- tissue gripping means for holding tissue therebetween including a pair of jaw members, one of said jaw members including a plurality of fasteners;
- means for advancing at least one of said jaw members towards another of said jaw members to grip tissue therebetween prior to driving said fasteners into said tissue, said advancing means including a push knob at a proximal end of the apparatus for advancing a slidable rod member operatively connected to said at least one of said jaw members;
- means for retaining said advancing means along a linear path of travel to selectively position said at least one jaw member in relation to said other jaw member;
- means for releasing said retaining means from engagement with said advancing means, said releasing means being operable to disengage said retaining means from said advancing means to permit said advancing means to return to a rest position;
- and
- a handle mechanism operatively connected to a means for driving said fasteners into said tissue subsequent to positioning said jaw members in relation to each other by said advancing means.
3 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- tissue gripping means for holding tissue therebetween including a pair of jaw members, one of said jaw members including a plurality of fasteners;
- a first advancing mechanism for manually advancing at least one of said jaw members towards another of said jaw members to grip tissue therebetween prior to driving said fasteners into said tissue;
- means for retaining said first advancing means along a linear path of travel to selectively position said at least one jaw member in relation to said other jaw member, said retaining means being mounted for pivoting movement from an engaged position to a disengaged position;
- means for releasing said retaining means from engagement with said first advancing means, said releasing means being mounted for sliding movement in relation to said retaining means to pivot said retaining means between said engaged and disengaged positions to permit said first advancing means to return to a rest position;
- means for driving said fasteners into said tissue subsequent to positioning said jaw members in relation to each other by said advancing means;
- and
- an actuating mechanism for manually advancing said driving means to drive said fasteners into said tissue;
- wherein said first advancing mechanism is operable in response to a first movement, and said actuating mechanism is operable in response to a second movement, said first movement being independent of said second movement.
5 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- a handle mechanism having at least one movable handle member;
- first and second jaw members, said first jaw member having a plurality of fasteners positioned thereon and being movable in relation to said second jaw member;
- a pusher mechanism disposed adjacent said handle mechanism for advancing said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to position tissue therebetween prior to driving fasteners into the tissue;
- a clamp member for releasably engaging said pusher mechanism to selectively position said first jaw member in relation to said second jaw member;
- a release member associated with said clamp member to disengage said clamp member from said pusher mechanism to return said first jaw member to a rest position;
- and
- a drive bar associated with said handle mechanism at a first end and said first jaw member at a second end, said drive bar being movable in response to movement of said movable handle member to drive said fasteners into tissue.
4 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- a first jaw member having a plurality of fasteners;
- a second jaw member disposed in opposing relation to said first jaw member;
- a pusher mechanism for advancing said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to grip tissue therebetween prior to driving said fasteners into the tissue;
- a clamp member for releasably engaging said pusher mechanism along a linear path of travel to selectively position said first jaw member in relation to said second jaw member;
- a release member coupled to said pusher mechanism, said release member being operable to selectively contact the clamp member to disengage the clamp member with the pusher mechanism to return the pusher mechanism to a rest position;
- a handle mechanism having at least one movable handle member;
- and
- a driving rod member operatively associated with and movable in response to movement of said handle mechanism, said driving rod member terminating at said first jaw member to drive said fasteners into tissue upon movement of said handle mechanism.
5 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- a first jaw member having a plurality of fasteners;
- a second jaw member disposed in opposing relation to said first jaw member;
- an advancing mechanism for advancing said first jaw member towards said second jaw member to grip tissue therebetween prior to driving fasteners into the tissue;
- a retaining mechanism for retaining the advancing mechanism to permit the advancing mechanism to selectively position the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member, the retaining mechanism being mounted for movement between a first position to retain the advancing mechanism and a second position to release the advancing mechanism;
- a release mechanism being mounted for movement with respect to the retaining mechanism such that movement of the release mechanism effects movement of the retaining mechanism between the first and second positions;
- and
- a firing mechanism for driving said fasteners into tissue subsequent to positioning of said first jaw member in relation to said second jaw member by said advancing mechanism.
4 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- a housing;
- a handle having a movable handle member;
- first and second jaw members, the first jaw member having a plurality of fasteners positioned thereon and being movable in relation to the second jaw member;
- a pusher mechanism extending within the housing and being movable therein, the pusher mechanism operably connected to the first jaw member, wherein the pusher mechanism is movable to advance the first jaw member towards the second jaw member;
- a stationary member supported within the housing;
- a clamp member operably associated with the pusher mechanism and movable to releasably engage the stationary member to selectively position the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member;
- a release member associated with the clamp member and movable to disengage the clamp member from the stationary member to permit the first jaw member to return to a rest position;
- and
- a drive member operably associated with the handle member at a first end and the first jaw at a second end, the drive member being movable in response to movement of the handle member to drive the fasteners into tissue.
6 more elements
An apparatus for applying surgical fasteners to body tissue comprising:
- a housing;
- a handle having a movable handle member;
- first and second jaw members, the first jaw member having a plurality of fasteners positioned thereon and being movable in relation to the second jaw member;
- a pusher mechanism extending within the housing and being movable therein, the pusher mechanism operably connected to the first jaw member, wherein the pusher mechanism is movable to advance the first jaw member towards the second jaw member;
- a clamp member operably associated with the pusher mechanism and movable from an engaged position to selectively position the first jaw member in relation to the second jaw member to a disengaged position to permit the first jaw member to move to a rest position;
- a release member operably associated with the clamp member and movable from a first position to a second position to move the clamp member to the disengaged position;
- and
- a drive member operably associated with the handle member at a first end and the first jaw at a second end, the drive member being movable in response to movement of the handle member to drive the fasteners into tissue.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.