US 7,472,815 B2 · Surgical stapling instruments with collapsible features for controlling staple height

Abstract

A surgical instrument for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted into a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of tissue includes force adjusted spacing between an upper jaw (anvil) and a lower jaw (staple cartridge engaged to an elongate staple channel) so that the height of staple formation corresponds to the thickness of the tissue, yet does not exceed the height range that may be accommodated by the length of the staples. In particular, collapsible staple drivers may be supported within the cartridge for driving a staple or staples supported thereon into forming contact with an underside of an anvil attached to the instrument. As the staples contact the anvil, the drivers can compress or collapse to control the overall formed height of the staple or staples based upon the amount of compression forces experienced by the drivers during the stapling process.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A collapsible staple driver for use in a surgical staple cartridge, said collapsible staple driver comprising:

a base portion configured to be operably supported by the surgical staple cartridge;
a staple supporting portion configured to be operably supported within the surgical staple cartridge adjacent to said base portion;
and
at least one attachment member protruding from one of the base portion and the staple supporting portion to be received in a corresponding aperture in the other of the base portion and the staple supporting portion, each said at least one attachment member and the aperture corresponding thereto being configured relative to each other to establish a frictional fit therebetween such that the staple supporting portion in retained in a stationary positive relative to said base portion prior to an application of a compression force thereto and wherein said frictional fit is overcome upon the application of said compression force thereto.

1 more element

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein;
a staple cartridge supported within said cartridge supporting assembly and operably supporting a plurality of collapsible staple supporting drivers therein, said staple supporting drivers comprising:
a base portion movably supported within the staple cartridge;
a staple supporting portion movably supported within the staple cartridge adjacent to said base portion;
and
at least one attachment member protruding from one of the base portion and the staple supporting portion to be received in a corresponding aperture in the other of the base portion and the staple supporting portion, each said at least one attachment member and the aperture corresponding thereto being configured relative to each other to establish a frictional fit therebetween such that the staple supporting portion is retained in a stationary position relative to said base portion prior to an application of a compression force that is overcome during the staple firing operation;
an anvil coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly and being selectively movable between an open position and a closed position;
and
a drive member operably supported relative to said cartridge supporting assembly for driving said collapsible staple supporting drivers toward said anvil when said anvil is in said closed position in response to a firing force applied to said drive member.

6 more elements

A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:

a cartridge supporting assembly for operably supporting a staple cartridge therein;
a staple cartridge supported within said cartridge supporting assembly and operably supporting a plurality of collapsible staple supporting drivers therein, said staple supporting drivers comprising:
a base portion movably supported within the staple cartridge;
a staple supporting portion movably supported within the staple cartridge adjacent to said base portion;
and
at least one attachment member protruding from one of the base portion and the staple supporting portion to be received in a corresponding aperture in the other of the base portion and the staple supporting portion, each said at least one attachment member and the aperture corresponding thereto being configured relative to each other to establish frictional fit therebetween that is overcome upon the application of said compression forces during the staple firing operation, said at least one attachment member being selected from the group of attachment members consisting of:
a rod having a substantially round cross-sectional shape, a tapered rod, a tang having at least two tapered surfaces, and a pair of tangs having ends oriented in spaced relation to each other and being biasable towards each other upon the application of forces thereto;
an anvil coupled to said cartridge supporting assembly and being selectively movable between an open position and a closed position;
and
a drive member operably supported relative to said cartridge supporting assembly for driving said collapsible staple supporting drivers toward said anvil when said anvil is in said closed position in response to a firing force applied to said drive member.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Surgical stapling instruments with collapsible features for controlling staple height

Life of this patent

Surgical stapling instruments with collapsible features for controlling staple height

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims22