United States Surgical Corporation

Maria E Lopez-Isa

Marc J Theroux

Carl Thomas Urban

David T Green

Henry Bolanos

Wayne P Young

Csaba L Rethy

John C Robertson

Wayne C Person

Stephen W Gerry

Andrew J McCarthy

Kourash Azarbarzin

Joseph M Paul

Jo Ann Bryan

A blade actuating assembly is provided which permits selective reciprocal movement of a tissue cutting blade positioned at a distal end of an optical trocar assembly from a non-deployed position to a deployed position and back to a non-deployed position. The trocar assembly has an optical obturator which includes a sleeve having a longitudinal bore between a proximal end and a distal end. The longitudinal bore of the sleeve is configured to receive at least a portion of an endoscope or like image transferring system. An objective optical member, such as an optical window is positioned at the distal end of the sleeve and is provided to permit optical images to pass into the longitudinal bore of the sleeve and to permit illumination light to pass to the surgical site.

Optical trocar

A fastener for securing adjacent layers of body tissue to each other and being configured and composed of a material so as to emerge from the body tissue after a limited period of time. The fastener includes a backspan and at least two prongs extending from the backspan. Each prong has a tapered tip culminating in a sharp point. The prongs each include a shaft having a cylindrical portion of uniform diameter. In one embodiment, the prong includes a serrated portion having a plurality of notches spaced apart so as to define ridge portions there between. In another embodiment, the prong includes a pair of tapered projecting surfaces extending around a portion thereof.

Skin fastener

A device for positioning a surgical instrument having an elongated portion, the device comprising a housing having an opening therethrough to receive the elongated instrument portion and an actuation member mounted to said housing and movable between a first position and a second position. The actuation member overlaps a portion of said opening in said second position to prevent movement of the elongated portion of the instrument. The actuation member may be movable along a plane parallel, perpendicular or lateral to a longitudinal axis of the surgical instrument.

Surgical instrument positioning device

A surgical apparatus for attaching two portions of cutaneous body tissue includes a pair of opposed elongated members having jaws which have tissue gripping members thereon at one end and which are movable toward each other to a closed position to engage two body tissue portions positioned within the members to move the body tissue portions into close approximation. Manually gripping systems of several alternative configurations are provided to actuate a mechanical transmission system to close the jaws. In a preferred embodiment, a fork is movable from a first position to a second position by manually operable devices to move the jaws toward each other. A pair of cam faces is located adjacent the opposite ends of the jaws. As the fork moves to its second position, the tines of the fork engage against the cam faces to move the opposed jaws to their closed position. A plurality of rod-like fasteners are carded in a stacked configuration proximally of the jaws such that when the jaws are in their closed position and the two body tissue portions are held in close approximation. Each rod-like fastener is movable to a position in ingress to penetrate the body tissue portions to attach the body tissue portions together. In another preferred embodiment, the elongated members are biased outwardly by a coil spring and a unique plate-like fastener drive member is provided to facilitate driving a fastener after the jaws are closed. A fastener cartridge is provided with fasteners stacked in a sloped fashion and having a coil spring to bias the fasteners toward the ejection position. Another embodiment includes a rack and gear teeth arrangement for approximating the jaws and for firing the fasteners. The rack and gear teeth function somewhat like a linear analog of a set of rotary gears. A method of attaching cutaneous body tissue portions is also disclosed.

Apparatus and method for subcuticular stapling of body tissue

Growing community of inventors

Shelton, CT, United States of America

Maria E Lopez-Isa