US 7,401,721 B2 · Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staple sizes

Abstract

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a staple cartridge and an anvil member. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of surgical fasteners disposed in rows of retention slots. The staple cartridge may have an annular or linear configuration of retention slots. The tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge may be tapered or stepped. The anvil member has a tissue contacting surface that includes a number of pockets arranged for substantially aligning with the retention slots. In addition, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil member may complement the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge.

Claims4

Dependent claims

A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

an anvil member having a first tissue contacting surface;
a body portion having a first wall, a second wall, and a second tissue contacting surface, wherein the first tissue contacting surface and the second tissue contacting surface define a gap therebetween and the gap varies along a horizontal plane defined by at least one of the first or second tissue contacting surfaces;
a first plurality of surgical fasteners having a first leg length;
and
a second plurality of surgical fasteners having a second leg length, wherein the first leg length is different from the second leg length.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

11/436,222Filed 18 May 2006 · continuation in part

Priority

15 Aug 2005

Published

US 2007/0034666 A115 Feb 2007

Granted

22 Jul 2008

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification17 codes

A61B 17/115
For performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis: staplers for performing anastomosis, e.g. in a single operation
A61B 17/068
Surgical instruments, devices or methods: surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps
A61B 17/072
Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps: for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied…
A61B 17/07207
For applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously: the staples being applied sequentially

Family

Application11/204,060Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 15 Aug 2005

US 2007/0034667 A1Pre-grant publication · published 15 Feb 2007

US 2007/0034666 A1Published application

US 7,407,075 B2Related patent

US 7,401,721 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staple sizes

Life of this patent

Surgical stapling instruments including a cartridge having multiple staple sizes

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims4