US 8,960,521 B2 · Loose staples removal system

Abstract

A staple cartridge is provided for retaining fully formed staples not clenched through body tissue. The staple cartridge generally includes staple pockets containing surgical staples having a backspan and first and second legs projecting from the backspan and staple pushers positioned within the staple pockets beneath the surgical staples. The staple pushers include body portions having first and second flexible fingers extending from the body portions and removably engagable with the backspan of the surgical staples. The flexible fingers include flexible stems extending from the body portions and head portions extending from the flexible stems. Each head portion includes a rounded distal tip positioned offset from and outward of a central axis of the stem and an inwardly projecting grasping portion for engaging the backspan of the surgical staple. Distal ends of sidewalls of the staple pockets are flared outwardly to accommodate movement of the head portions of the flexible fingers.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling instrument comprising:

a staple pocket;
a surgical staple disposed in the staple pocket, the surgical staple including a backspan and first and second legs extending from opposed ends of the backspan;
and
a staple pusher disposed in the staple pocket and being removably engageable with the surgical staple, the staple pusher including a body portion having first and second fingers extending from the body portion and engageable with the backspan of the surgical staple, wherein the first finger is flexibly coupled to an upper surface of the body portion by a flexible stem such that the first finger is movable generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the staple pusher.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Loose staples removal system

Life of this patent

Loose staples removal system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims15