Surgical stapling and cutting device and method for using the device

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle;
• a surgical end effector;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, wherein actuation of at least a part of said control handle articulatingly frees said passive articulation joint when said part is actuated.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle;
• a surgical end effector;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, wherein actuation of at least a part of said control handle releases said passive articulation joint to freely articulate when said part is actuated.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle;
• a surgical end effector;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, wherein said control handle has an articulation joint actuator holding said passive articulation joint in position when not actuated and releasing said passive articulation joint when actuated.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle;
• a surgical end effector;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, wherein said control handle articulatingly releases said passive articulation joint when actuated.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle having an articulation joint actuator with an unactuated state and an actuated state;
• a surgical end effector having an articulation lock with a locked articulation state and an unlocked articulation state;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, said articulation joint actuator:
• changing said articulation lock from said locked articulation state to said unlocked articulation state when changed from said unactuated state to said actuated state;
• and
• changing said articulation lock from said unlocked articulation state to said locked articulation state when changed from said actuated state to said unactuated state.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle having a first longitudinal axis;
• a surgical end effector having a second longitudinal axis;
• and
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle, wherein:
• at least one of said control handle, said end effector, and said passive articulating joint has an alignment device;
• and
• said alignment device biases said end effector to substantially align said first and said second longitudinal axes when said articulation joint actuator is actuated.

A medical device, comprising:

• a control handle having an articulation joint actuator, said articulation joint actuator having an unactuated state and an actuated state;
• a surgical end effector;
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle;
• and
• said articulation joint actuator:
• when in said unactuated state, holding said passive articulation joint and, thereby, said end effector, in a substantially fixed articulation position;
• and
• when in said actuated state, releasing said passive articulation joint into a freely articulating state to permit free articulation of said end effector with respect to said control handle dependent upon external forces acting upon said end effector.

A medical device, comprising:

• a surgical stapling end effector having at least one of a stapling device with staples and a cutting device with a blade;
• a control handle having:
• a stapler closing actuator closing said stapling device when actuated;
• a staple firing actuator at least one of stapling said staples and cutting tissue with said cutting device when actuated;
• and
• an articulation joint actuator having an unactuated state and an actuated state;
• a passive articulating joint connecting said end effector to said control handle;
• and
• said end effector:
• freely articulating dependent upon forces acting upon said end effector when said articulation joint actuator is actuated;
• and
• being locked in a given articulation position when said articulation joint actuator is unactuated.