Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon, Gmbh

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Gary S Jaworek

Charles J Scheib

Gregory J Bakos

Taylor W Aronhalt

Shane R Adams

Michael J Stokes

Richard L Leimbach

Cory G Kimball

Robert L Koch, Jr

Michael D Auld

Steven G Hall

Brian D Schings

Daniel L Baber

Daniel J Ulrich

Donald J Vogel

Anil K Nalagatla

Bret William Smith

Geoffrey C Hueil

Joshua R Uth

Zhifan F Huang

David Keith Norvell

Nicholas J Ross

Matthew S Corbin

John Scott Kimsey

Nicholas Fanelli

Christopher J Schall

Jason E Zerkle

Scott A Jenkins

David M Brooks

Pierre R Mesnil

Robbin B Johnson

Robert L Koch

Chester O Baxter Iii

Monica Louise Zeckel Rivard

Isidro Vega

Daniel P Pucke

Robert L Koch Jr

A surgical stapler includes a first stapler half a second stapler half configured to releasably couple together. The second stapler half includes a first elongate member, a second elongate member, and a polymeric body that encapsulates at least a portion of each of the first elongate member and the second elongate member. One of the first stapler half or the second stapler half includes a distal portion configured to receive a staple cartridge, and the other of the first stapler half or the second stapler half includes a distal portion having a plurality of staple-forming pockets.

Anvil assembly for linear surgical stapler

An apparatus includes a jaw body configured to couple with an end effector portion of a surgical stapler and cooperate with an opposing jaw to compress, staple, and cut tissue. An anvil surface of the jaw body has a plurality of staple forming pockets configured to form a plurality of staples. An elongate slot extends through the anvil surface from a proximal slot end at a proximal end of the staple forming pockets to a distal slot end at a distal end of the staple forming pockets. A first slot portion is configured to slidably receive a first portion of a firing member, and a second slot portion opens to the anvil surface and is configured to slidably receive a second portion of the firing member. A dimension of the second slot portion varies along the longitudinal axis between the proximal slot end and the distal slot end.

Surgical stapler anvil jaw with variable firing member slot

A cover for an articulation joint that is supported in an elongate shaft assembly of a surgical instrument that is operably coupled to a surgical end effector that includes at least one end effector conductor therein. The cover includes at least one electrically conductive pathway that extends from the distal end of the cover to form an electrically conductive pathway from the end effector conductor to a shaft conductor on the elongate shaft assembly while facilitating operation of the articulation joint. Various conductor arrangements facilitating the passage of electrical current between an end effector to a control system across the articulation joint are also disclosed.

Articulatable surgical instruments with conductive pathways for signal communication

A powered surgical instrument comprising a housing, an elongate shaft, an articulation joint, a rotary drive member configured to rotate in response to rotary motion from an electric motor, a coupling portion, and a stapling attachment releasably attachable to the coupling portion is disclosed. The stapling attachment is secured to the coupling portion by rotating one of the stapling attachment and the coupling portion relative to the other of the stapling attachment and the coupling portion. The stapling attachment comprises an elongate channel configured to receive a staple cartridge. The stapling attachment further comprises an anvil, a drive screw, and a firing member operably engaged with the drive screw. The coupling portion operably couples the rotary drive member and the drive screw when the stapling attachment is attached to the elongate shaft. The firing member is advanced distally within the stapling attachment when the drive screw is rotated.

Powered surgical instrument including a rotary drive screw

A surgical instrument comprising a shaft and an articulatable end effector is disclosed. The surgical instrument further comprises an articulation drive system configured to articulate the end effector and means for retaining the articulation drive system in engagement with the end effector.

Articulation pin for a surgical instrument

A surgical stapling system comprising a stapling assembly, a firing member, a shaft, an articulation joint, and a handle is disclosed. The stapling assembly comprises a distal end, a staple cartridge, and an anvil. The stapling assembly is configurable in an open configuration and a closed configuration by a closure member. The shaft is rotatable in first and second rotation directions. The stapling assembly is articulatable about the articulation joint in first and second articulation directions. The handle comprises a firing actuator configured to move the firing member toward the distal end, and a rotation actuator comprising a first initial position. The handle further comprises an articulation actuator comprising a second initial position. The handle further comprises means for preventing the articulation of the stapling assembly and the rotation of the shaft when the firing actuator is being actuated. The means is independent from the closure member.

Surgical stapling system

In various embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to articulate an end effector of the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument can comprise at least one electromagnet which can be selectively activated, or polarized, to generate a magnetic field sufficient to motivate a second magnetic element, such as a permanent magnet and/or an iron core, for example, mounted to the end effector. In certain embodiments, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to open and/or close an end effector of the surgical instrument. In at least one embodiment, a surgical stapling instrument can comprise a plurality of magnetic elements configured to advance and/or retract a firing bar, cutting member, and/or staple sled within the surgical instrument in order to incise and/or staple tissue positioned within an end effector of the surgical instrument.

Articulatable surgical instrument comprising a firing drive

A surgical instrument system comprising a housing, a shaft assembly, and an end effector is disclosed. The housing comprises a plurality of electric motors. The shaft assembly comprises a plurality of rotatable shafts. The electric motors are simultaneously coupled to the rotatable shafts as the shaft assembly is connected to the housing. The shaft assembly further comprises an articulation joint including an electrically conductive articulation joint conductor that traverses the articulation joint, an electrically conductive shaft conductor in communication with the articulation joint conductor, and a distal coupler. The end effector is releasably connectable to the distal coupler and comprises an electrically conductive end effector conductor. The distal coupler comprises an electrically conductive coupler pathway from the end effector conductor to the articulation joint conductor. The distal coupler comprises a lock configured to releasably lock the end effector to the distal coupler and form the electrically conductive coupler pathway.

Articulatable surgical instruments with conductive pathways

Surgical stapling instrument comprising a magnetic element driver

Surgical stapling instrument comprising an articulation joint

A surgical instrument including a shaft, an end effector, and a joint, wherein the end effector can be moved relative to the shaft about the joint. In various embodiments, the joint can include a cover configured to be positioned intermediate the end effector and the shaft. In at least one embodiment, the cover can be connected to at least one of the end effector and the shaft and can be configured to at least partially surround the joint in order to prevent soft tissue positioned adjacent to the joint from being pulled into and/or pinched by the joint.

Surgical instrument articulation joint cover

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Gary S Jaworek