Covidien LP

Joseph M Guerrera

Charles R Kollar

Justin P Williams

Anthony Sgroi, Jr

Steven H Joyce

Patrick D Mozdzierz

Christopher P Penna

Joseph Eisinger

David E Valentine

Ramiro D Cabrera

David Valentine, Jr

Charlie Kollar

Stephen R Paul

Anthony Sgroi

Jr Anthony Sgroi

Anthony Sgroi Jr

Inserts and features to reduce or prevent spline crash in surgical staplers and/or to minimize damage resulting from spline crash in surgical staplers. An insert for a surgical stapler includes a body and spline covers. The body is configured to fit within a bore of a shell assembly and the spline covers extend inward from the body. Each of the spline covers are sized and dimensioned to cap a distal portion of splines of the shell assembly. A shell assembly for a surgical stapler includes shell splines that are disposed on an inner wall of an inner housing portion that defines a bore. The shell splines include a lead spline that has a leading end positioned distal of a leading end of each of the other shell splines.

Inserts, splines, and methods for reducing and/or eliminating spline crash in surgical instruments

A surgical anvil assembly for use with a circular stapling instrument includes an anvil center rod defining a longitudinal axis and an anvil head pivotally coupled to the anvil center rod and movable between a first operative condition and a second tilted condition. The anvil assembly further includes a locking assembly configured to selectively lock the anvil head in each of the first and second conditions.

Surgical anvil assemblies for surgical stapling instruments

Apparatus and methods for improved tissue cutting of circular stapling instruments include a cartridge assembly configured to maximize the force during a cutting stroke. In embodiments, the cartridge assembly is configured to maintain engagement between a knife assembly and a drive member during retraction of the knife. Alternatively, or in addition, the cartridge assembly is configured to prevent incidental advancement of the knife assembly.

Circular stapling instruments

A surgical device includes a handle assembly having a controller and a motor. The surgical device also includes an adapter assembly having: a tubular housing having a proximal end portion configured to couple to the handle assembly and a distal end portion; and an actuation assembly configured to couple to the motor. The surgical further includes a reload configured to couple to the distal end portion of the adapter assembly; and an anvil assembly including an anvil head pivotally coupled to an anvil shaft, the anvil assembly configured to couple to the actuation assembly and the reload. The controller of the surgical device is configured to control the motor to actuate the actuation assembly to move the anvil assembly in a distal direction for a distance based on a dimension of one of the reload or the anvil head, thereby pivoting the anvil head relative to the anvil shaft while maintaining engagement of the anvil assembly to the reload.

Programmable distal tilt position of end effector for powered surgical devices

A stapling device includes a shell assembly, an anvil retainer assembly, an anvil assembly, and a strain gauge. The shell assembly includes a housing including an inner housing portion that defines a through bore and supports at least one detection member or leg. The anvil assembly includes an anvil head and an anvil center rod having a boss. The at least one detection leg is positioned to engage the boss of the center rod to obstruct movement of the anvil assembly in relation to the shell assembly between an open position and a clamped position. The strain gauge is positioned to identify increased strain in the stapling device when the at least one detection leg engages the boss. This allows a clinician to confirm that an anvil assembly is properly attached to the stapling device prior to firing of the stapling device.

Surgical stapling device

A surgical stapling device includes an anvil assembly and a shell assembly having a shell housing including a plurality of shell splines having an A-frame configuration. The shell splines include a triangular tip that defines an apex and is positioned to engage splines on an anvil shaft of the anvil assembly to properly align the anvil assembly with the shell assembly. The A-frame splines are spaced from each other to define primary channels that are dimensioned to receive the splines of the anvil assembly to properly align the anvil assembly with the shell assembly. The A-frame splines also define secondary channels that are positioned proximally of and in axial alignment with the apex of the A-frame splines. In situations in which an apex of the splines on the anvil assembly 'crash' into the apex of the A-frame splines of the shell assembly, i.e., the apexes of the splines meet head on, the A-frame splines of the shell assembly are constructed to fracture to allow the splines of the anvil assembly to penetrate into the A-frame splines and pass into the secondary channels of the A-frame splines to properly align the anvil assembly with the shell assembly of the stapling device.

Circular stapling device with A-frame splines

A surgical instrument includes a shell assembly and an adapter. The shell assembly includes a shell housing, a plurality of staples, a staple pusher, a staple actuator configured to engage the staple pusher, a knife member, and a knife carrier supporting the knife member. The adapter includes a staple band operatively coupled to an actuation mechanism for axial displacement, a knife band at least partially received within the staple band, and a cam ring rotatably supported about the knife band. The staple band is configured to releasably engage the staple actuator. The knife band is operatively coupled with an actuation mechanism for axial displacement. The cam ring is rotatable between an engaged position in which the knife carrier engages the cam ring for concomitant axial displacement with the knife band and a disengaged position in which the knife carrier is disengaged from the cam ring.

Snap ring cam actuator release for a loading unit

A tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly, a shell, and an anvil assembly. The shell houses the cartridge assembly and defines a passage. The shell includes alignment splines that are disposed within the passage and define channels between adjacent alignment splines. The anvil assembly includes an anvil and a center rod that extends from the anvil. The center rod defines a longitudinal axis and includes a first spline and second splines. The first spline includes a first leading facet that is configured to engage the alignment splines to clock the anvil assembly relative to the cartridge assembly. The second splines are radially spaced apart about the longitudinal axis. Each of the second splines includes a leading end that defines a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The leading end is configured to crash with the alignments spines when the anvil assembly is misaligned with the cartridge assembly.

Anvil assembly of circular stapling device including alignment splines

An anvil assembly includes an anvil head pivotally secured to a center rod assembly and a self-retaining backup member disposed with the anvil head assembly. The backup member is moveable between a retracted position in which the anvil head assembly is retained in an operative position and an advanced position in which the anvil head assembly is moveable to a tilted position. The backup member includes a pair of opposed snap tabs for retaining the backup member in its advanced position, a plurality of fingers for engaging a frangible ring of a retaining member, and retaining features for securing a cut ring assembly to the backup member.

Growing community of inventors

Watertown, CT, United States of America

Joseph M Guerrera