Cilag International Gmbh

Ethicon, Gmbh

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Nicholas Fanelli

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Jason M Rector

Robert J Simms

Jeffrey C Gagel

Ryan J Laurent

Kevin Michael Fiebig

Douglas B Hoffman

Jeffery D Bruns

Scott A Jenkins

Gregory J Bakos

John C Schuckmann

Charles J Scheib

Anil K Nalagatla

Adam David Hensel

Gregory G Scott

Nicholas A Wilson

Cory G Kimball

Jason E Zerkle

Shannon L Jones

Pierre R Mesnil

John P May

Jeffrey S Swayze

Mark D Overmyer

Richard L Leimbach

Brian D Schings

Daniel L Baber

John Kevin Bruce

Seth Daniel Holdmeyer

Kristin L Jambor

Devanathan Raghavan

Bingshi Wang

Jesse L Hontz

John W Stodghill

Jason L Harris

Kevin L Houser

Taylor W Aronhalt

Shane R Adams

Emily A Schellin

Bret William Smith

Geoffrey C Hueil

Matthew S Corbin

Cortney E Henderson

Gary S Jaworek

Anthony Nguyen

James Bernar Ogzewalla

Laura R Corsetto

James M Rector

Brett W Smith

Jeffrey C Gagle

Iv Frederick E Shelton

A surgical instrument end effector includes a first jaw configured to receive a staple cartridge and a second jaw that includes an anvil having a plurality of staple forming pockets. The first and second jaws are operable to clamp and staple tissue positioned therebetween. A tip member is movably disposed at a distal end of the anvil and is configured to toggle relative to the anvil between a first discrete position and a second discrete position. The tip member in the first discrete position is oriented angularly toward the first jaw, and the tip member in the second discrete position is oriented angularly away from the first discrete position.

Surgical stapler with toggling distal tip

A staple cartridge including a tissue supporting deck and a set of arbor inserts removably coupled to the deck adjacent a staple pocket, the staple pocket being configured to hold a staple. The set of arbor inserts is configured to plastically deform the staple as the staple exits the staple pocket during a firing stroke.

Deployable arbor sets that break away from staple cartridge

A method of operating a surgical instrument includes clamping tissue with a surgical instrument end effector and actuating the end effector to drive staples into the clamped tissue, including a first longitudinal row having at least one first formed staple with a first formed shape in which the first legs are aligned laterally with each other and with the first crown; a second longitudinal row having at least one second formed staple with a second formed shape in which each second leg is skewed laterally away from the second crown at a first angle; and a third longitudinal row of third formed staples having at least one third formed staple with a third formed shape in which each third leg is skewed laterally away from the third crown at a second angle.

Method of surgical stapling

A staple cartridge including: a cartridge body; a staple pocket in the cartridge body, the staple pocket having an opening and containing an unformed staple including a first leg and a second leg, the staple pocket containing the first leg and the second leg of the unformed staple in an unfired position; and two or more guide surfaces in the staple pocket disposed adjacent the opening, wherein the guide surfaces are configured to deform the first leg of the unformed staple as the first leg exits the staple pocket at the opening during a firing of the unformed staple.

Staple cartridge containing forming surfaces that bend staple legs upon exiting

A surgical instrument comprising a staple cartridge including a cartridge body, staples removably stored in the cartridge body, and staple drivers movable within the cartridge body to eject, or deploy, the staples from the cartridge body is disclosed herein. The staple drivers and the cartridge body comprise control surfaces that promote the efficient deployment of the staples from the cartridge body.

Control surfaces on a staple driver of a surgical staple cartridge

An apparatus includes a cartridge body, a deck, an elongate slot, a plurality of pockets, and a plurality of engagement protrusions. The plurality of pockets include first and second pockets. The plurality of engagement protrusions extend from the deck and are configured to grip tissue or an adjunct material. The plurality of engagement protrusions include first and second engagement protrusions. The first engagement protrusion is associated with the first pocket. The first engagement protrusion includes a lateral portion extending longitudinally along a lateral side of the first pocket. The first engagement protrusion does not extend along a second lateral side of the first pocket such that the second lateral side opens directly to the deck. The second engagement protrusion is associated with the second pocket. The second engagement protrusion includes a lateral portion extending longitudinally along the second lateral side of the second pocket.

Surgical stapler cartridge having intermediate raised tissue engagement protrusions

An apparatus includes a jaw body, an anvil surface defined by the jaw body, and an elongate slot extending through the anvil surface and along a longitudinal axis of the jaw body. The apparatus further includes a first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface and configured to form a plurality of first staples such that first legs of each formed first staple are laterally aligned with each other. The apparatus also includes a second longitudinal row of staple forming pockets disposed on the anvil surface laterally outwardly of the first longitudinal row of staple forming pockets relative to the longitudinal axis, and configured to form a plurality of second staples such that second legs of each formed second staple skew laterally away from a second crown of the respective formed second staple.

Surgical stapler anvil having staple forming pockets with laterally varying orientations

A stapling assembly for a surgical instrument includes a body extending along a longitudinal axis and having an upper deck, a plurality of pockets extending through the upper deck for receiving respective staples and arranged in at least two longitudinal rows, a plurality of staple drivers, and a staple driver actuator. The stapling assembly also includes a plurality of pocket extenders extending upwardly from the upper deck. Each pocket extender has a respective top surface. The stapling assembly further includes at least one upwardly-facing surface configured to contact an adhesive of an adjunct for securing the adjunct to the stapling assembly. The at least one upwardly-facing surface is disposed at least partially between at least a portion of the upper deck and the top surfaces of the plurality of pocket extenders, and spans laterally at least partially across at least two longitudinal rows of the plurality of pockets.

Surgical stapler cartridge having raised surface to promote buttress adhesion

A surgical stapling assembly comprising a first jaw, a second jaw, and a staple cartridge assembly positioned in the first jaw is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a plurality of staples, a plurality of staple drivers, and a cartridge body. The cartridge body comprises a deck surface configured to support patient tissue, a longitudinal slot defined in the cartridge body, a plurality of staple cavities, and a longitudinal wall extending vertically below the deck surface. The longitudinal wall comprises a first zone comprising a first wall height and a second zone comprising a second wall height. The staple cartridge assembly further comprises a sled movable longitudinally through the cartridge body, wherein the sled is sized and configured resist deflection of the cartridge body during the firing stroke within the second zone.

Integral cartridge stiffening features to reduce cartridge deflection

A surgical stapler kit includes a surgical stapler having a body, a shaft, and an end effector. The kit includes a first staple cartridge having a first cartridge body and a first sled, and a second staple cartridge having a second cartridge body and a second sled. When the first staple cartridge is at least partially seated within a cartridge jaw with the first sled in a proximal undisplaced position, a knife drives the first sled distally to deploy staples from the first cartridge body. When the second staple cartridge is at least partially seated within the cartridge jaw with the second sled in a proximal undisplaced position, the knife advances distally into a lockout position before causing any staples to be deployed from the second cartridge body.

Incompatible staple cartridge use prevention features for surgical stapler

A surgical instrument comprises a body, shaft, and end effector. The shaft couples the end effector and body together. The end effector comprises an anvil and lower jaw configured to receive a surgical staple cartridge. The anvil is configured to pivot toward and away from the staple cartridge and lower jaw. The shaft assembly comprises a knife member configured to longitudinally translate to thereby substantially simultaneously cut clamped tissue and staple the severed tissue. The end effector may comprise lockout features configure to prevent longitudinal translation of the knife member. The end effector or staple cartridge may comprise lockout bypass features configured to prevent lockout of the knife.

Lockout engagement features for surgical stapler

A staple cartridge for a surgical instrument includes a cartridge body extending along a longitudinal axis and having an upper deck. Pockets extend through the upper deck for receiving respective staples. The staple cartridge also includes a pan coupled to the cartridge body. The pan includes a laterally-opposed pair of sidewalls spaced apart from each other to define a trough sized and configured to receive the cartridge body. The pan also includes a retention tab extending laterally outwardly from a sidewall and longitudinally between proximal and distal ends. The retention tab defines a recess extending laterally outwardly from the trough. The recess opens through the sidewall at at least one of the proximal or distal ends. The pan further includes a relief slot extending through the sidewall adjacent to the at least one of the proximal or distal ends such that the relief slot opens directly into the recess.

Surgical stapler cartridge having cartridge retention features

A staple cartridge including a cartridge body and a first RFID feature. The cartridge body defines a longitudinal axis extending from a proximal end to a distal end of the cartridge body. The cartridge body is configured to be received within a jaw of a surgical stapler. The cartridge body also defines a plurality of staple apertures that are configured to house staples. The proximal portion of the cartridge body defines a pocket, and the pocket is proximal to a proximal most staple aperture of the plurality of staple apertures. The first RFID feature is fixed within the pocket. The first RFID feature is configured to communicate with a second RFID feature presented by the jaw of the surgical stapler.

Surgical stapler cartridge with integrated RFID feature

A surgical instrument comprises a body, shaft, and end effector. The shaft couples the end effector and body together. The end effector comprises an anvil and lower jaw configured to receive a surgical staple cartridge. The anvil is configured to pivot toward and away from the staple cartridge and lower jaw. The shaft assembly comprises a knife member configured to longitudinally translate to thereby substantially simultaneously cut clamped tissue and staple the severed tissue. The end effector may comprise lockout features configure to prevent longitudinal translation of the knife member. The end effector or staple cartridge may comprise lockout bypass features configured to prevent lockout of the knife member. These lockout bypass features may operate to permit longitudinal translation of the knife member once or multiple times. The end effector may comprise features configured to ensure proper alignment of the anvil relative to the staple cartridge.

Method of using lockout features for surgical stapler cartridge

A staple driver actuator for a surgical stapler includes a base having at least one bottom surface. The bottom surface defines a plane and is configured to slide longitudinally relative to a jaw of the surgical stapler. The base also has at least one top surface parallel to the plane. The staple driver actuator further includes at least one rail extending upwardly from the base. The rail includes at least one first cam surface. The first cam surface is inclined relative to the plane, and the first cam surface is longitudinally aligned with at least a portion of the at least one top surface.

Surgical stapler end effector sled having staple driver support feature

Growing community of inventors

Morrow, OH, United States of America

Nicholas Fanelli