Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon, Gmbh

Douglas Jon Siebenaler

Thomas W Huitema

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Jerome R Morgan

Jeffrey S Swayze

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Geoffrey C Hueil

Charles J Scheib

Jeffrey David Messerly

William Bruce Weisenburgh, Ii

Christopher J Hess

Richard William Timm

Shailendra Kumar Parihar

James R Giordano

Richard F Schwemberger

James Walden Voegele

Steven G Hall

Galen C Robertson

Donna L Korvick

Kenneth E Hogue

Andrew M Zwolinski

Michael A Murray

Stephen J Balek

Joseph Charles Hueil

Dean B Bruewer

Robert J Simms

Christopher J Schall

John N Ouwerkerk

Richard C Smith

Carl J Shurtleff

Randall J Tanguay

James A Woodard, Jr

Binoy K Bordoloi

Christoph L Gillum

Glen A Armstrong

William B Weisenburgh

Lawrence E Wells, Jr

Kenneth Edward Hogue

Christopher Lewis Gillum

Lawrence E Wells

James A Woodard

William B Ii Weisenburgh

A staple cartridge can comprise a plurality of staples positioned within a cartridge body, wherein the cartridge body can comprise a tissue-contacting deck and a plurality of ridges extending from the tissue-contacting deck. The ridges can be configured to prevent, or reduce the possibility of, tissue from moving relative to the staple cartridge during use. The staple cartridge can further comprise a plurality of staple cavities, wherein each staple cavity can comprise an opening in the deck which is at least partially surrounded by a ridge. The ridges can comprise a uniform height or a height which varies along the length thereof. The height can vary relative to a proximal end and a distal end of the cartridge body and/or between the center of the cartridge body and the side.

Staple cartridge

A fastener cartridge comprising a cartridge body and unfired fasteners is disclosed. The cartridge body comprises fastener cavities and a deck comprising a variable height tissue compression surface. A longitudinal slot is defined through at least a portion of the variable height tissue compression surface. The fastener cavities comprise a first fastener cavity and a second fastener cavity. The first and second fastener cavities are defined in the variable height tissue compression surface on a first side of the longitudinal slot. The first fastener cavity is laterally offset from the second fastener cavity. The unfired fasteners comprise a first unfired fastener removable positioned in the first fastener cavity and a second unfired fastener removable positioned in the second fastener cavity. The first unfired fastener comprises a first height. The second unfired fastener comprises a second height that is different from the first height.

Fastener cartridge

A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body and staples is disclosed. The cartridge body comprises a tissue-facing deck wherein a slot extends along at least a portion of the tissue-facing deck, staple cavities arranged in a plurality of rows comprising an inner row and an outer row on a first side of the slot, and projections extending from the tissue-facing deck. The staples comprise a first staple comprising a first staple height and a second staple comprising a second staple height greater than the first staple height. The first staple is positioned in an unfired position in a staple cavity in the inner row and the second staple is positioned in an unfired position in a staple cavity in the outer row. At least one projection is positioned to provide localized tissue compression on the first side of the slot intermediate the first staple and the second staple.

Surgical staples including features which can cooperate with staple cavities in a staple cartridge in order to reduce, or even prevent, the surgical staples from rocking, rotating or tilting, within the staple cavities while the staples are deployed by a staple driver, especially when the staples are oriented at different directions. In various embodiments, the surgical staples can include crowns having arcuate and/or cylindrical features which can cooperate with arcuate and/or cylindrical features of the staple cavities in order to reduce unwanted relative movement, or rotation, between the staples and the staple cavities.

Staple cartridge cavity configuration with cooperative surgical staple

The present invention includes a surgical stapler having a curved end-effector which is configured to deploy staples in at least one curved staple line. In various embodiments, the surgical stapler includes a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a cutting member having a cutting surface wherein the cutting member is relatively movable with respect to the anvil and the staple cartridge. In one embodiment, the staple cartridge can be configured to deploy staples along different, non-parallel axes. As a result, the staples can be deployed in a significantly curved staple line. In various embodiments, the surgical stapler includes a flexible driver operably engaged with the cutting member to move the cutting member relative to the anvil and the staple cartridge. In these embodiments, the driver can include an elongate cross-section defined by a width and a height wherein its width is greater, and in some cases, substantially greater, than its height.

Curved end effector for a surgical stapling device

A surgical fastener system can comprise a plurality of fasteners which can be connected to one another by a retention matrix which is assembled to the fasteners in order to capture tissue therebetween. In various embodiments, each fastener can comprise a base and the distance in which the retention matrix is seated relative to the fastener bases can be selectively determined by a surgeon in order to apply a desired pressure to the tissue. In certain embodiments, each fastener can further comprise a fastener leg and the retention matrix can comprise a first layer configured to engage the fastener legs. The retention matrix can further comprise a second layer mounted to the first layer which can comprise one or more encapsulations containing a medicine therein. The encapsulations can be aligned with retention apertures in the retention matrix such that they can be punctured by the fastener legs.

Fastener system comprising a retention matrix

An assembly including a component of a surgical instrument, such as an endoscopic or laparoscopic instrument. The assembly may comprise a package; a surgical instrument component within the package; and a power source within the package. The power source may be configured to be placed in electrical communication with the surgical instrument component. The assembly may also comprise an auxiliary power source within the package and a circuit element, where the circuit element is in electrical communication with the power source and the auxiliary power source.

Surgical instrument with enhanced battery performance

An articulating surgical instrument is shown, which comprises a shaft and an end effector. The shaft has a longitudinal axis, and the end effector is operationally coupled, preferably mechanically coupled, to the shaft at an articulation pivot. The instrument also comprises a first band, and in some embodiments, a second band, each operationally connected to the end effector and extending through at least a portion of the shaft. An articulation control applies a force in a direction substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis, wherein the force, when applied in one direction, is translated through the first band to the end effector to effect rotation of the end effector relative to the shaft about the articulation pivot in a first rotational direction, and when the force is applied in the opposite direction, is translated through the second band to the end effector to effect rotation of the end effector relative to the shaft about the articulation pivot in a second rotational direction.

Surgical instrument having an articulating end effector

A surgical instrument particularly suited to endoscopic and laparoscopic insertion through a cannula of a trocar into an insufflated body cavity or lumen includes a bending member in an elongate shaft that acts to rotate an end effector about an articulation pivot joint. A proximally directed camming surface (e.g., gear segment, cam recess) aft of a pivotal attachment of the end effector to a proximal frame ground of the elongate shaft interacts with a bending member whose proximal end is ground to the proximal frame ground. Differential fluidic actuators or mechanical cam bars deflect a distal end (e.g., rack, cam point) of the bending member to effect articulation. Thereby, the end effector may act upon tissue that would otherwise be obscured, such as behind an organ. The articulated end effector also advantageously allows an endoscope to be positioned behind the end effector without being blocked by the instrument shaft.

Surgical instrument with bending articulation controlled articulation pivot joint

Growing community of inventors

Maineville, OH, United States of America

Douglas Jon Siebenaler