Cilag International Gmbh

Stolle Machinery Company, LLC

Ethicon, Gmbh

Seth Daniel Holdmeyer

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Kevin Michael Fiebig

Jason L Harris

Gregory J Bakos

Adam David Hensel

Chester O Baxter, Iii

Chad Paul Boudreaux

Richard William Timm

Ian Kenneth Scholey

Sarah Alexandra Worthington

Richard James Edward Mercer

Tylor C Muhlenkamp

Mark S Zeiner

Russell Bauer

Tyler N Brehm

Bruce Brunson, Jr

Michael J Stokes

Anil K Nalagatla

Morgan Robert Hunter

Geoffrey C Hueil

Gregory G Scott

Nicholas Fanelli

Christopher Q Seow

Disha V Estera

Devanathan Raghavan

Jeffrey L Clark

Jalen Lee Wize

Eric William Brunner

Maria Lupp

Grant Wood Nair

Iii Chester O Baxter

Chester O Baxter Iii

Jr Bruce Brunson

A surgical tool includes an elongate shaft, an end effector arranged at a distal end of the shaft and including opposing jaws, and an articulable wrist interposing the end effector and the shaft and comprising a plurality of articulation links arranged in series along a longitudinal length of the wrist. A closure redirect mechanism includes first and second rigid links arranged proximal to the wrist, first and second transfer mechanisms pivotably mounted to the first and second rigid links, respectively, first and second transfer links interposing the end effector and the wrist, and first and second tension members extending distally from the first and second transfer mechanisms, respectively, and being secured to the first and second transfer links, respectively. Moving the first rigid link relative to the second rigid link, and vice versa, causes the first and second transfer links to correspondingly move and thereby open or close the jaws.

Mechanically decoupled closure subsystem

A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling instrument is disclosed. The loading unit comprises a shaft and an end effector extending from the shaft. The end effector comprises a first jaw that comprising an anvil, and a second jaw. At least one of the first jaw and the second jaw is movable relative to the other to grasp tissue. The second jaw comprises an elongated channel comprising retaining features, and a staple cartridge insertable into the elongated channel for assembly therewith. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, and a sled translatable relative to the cartridge pan from a first position toward a second position. The retaining features are configured to resist a movement by the sled beyond the first position up to a predetermined force.

Surgical instruments with interactive features to remedy incidental sled movements

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

An end effector for use with a surgical stapling instrument. The end effector comprises a first jaw and a second jaw. The first jaw comprises an anvil comprising a proximal camming member. At least one jaw is movable relative to the other to close the end effector. The second jaw comprises an elongated channel comprising a proximal channel aperture and a staple cartridge insertable into the elongated channel. The staple cartridge comprises a cartridge body and a cartridge pan. The cartridge pan comprises a proximal pan aperture configured to be positioned partially distal to the proximal channel aperture when the staple cartridge is assembled with the elongated channel in an unlocked configuration. The camming member is configured to proximally translate the cartridge pan relative to the cartridge body from the unlocked configuration to a locked configuration during a transition of the end effector to a closed configuration.

Surgical instrument with cartridge release mechanisms

A surgical stapling assembly is disclosed. The surgical stapling assembly can include a first jaw, a second jaw, an articulation joint, a closure drive comprising a first flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint, and a firing drive comprising a second flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint and rotatable independent of the first flexible rotary drive. The surgical stapling assembly can further include a 3D-printed component. The surgical stapling assembly can be configured to form different staple shapes, such as non-planar staples and planar staples, can include an eccentrically-driven firing assembly, and/or can include a floatable component. The surgical stapling assembly can include a staple cartridge including a longitudinal support beam.

Rotary-driven surgical stapling assembly comprising a floatable component

A staple cartridge comprising a cartridge body, staples removably stored in the cartridge body, a sled configured to eject said staples from said cartridge body, and a deployable tissue cutting knife. During use, a firing member of a stapling instrument is advanced into the staple cartridge to deploy the tissue cutting knife and advance the sled distally through a staple firing stroke.

Staple cartridge comprising a deployable knife

A surgical device having at least one rotary input screw in the end effector is provided. A rotary input screw can extend through a central longitudinal portion of the end effector. The end effector can include an improved closure system, firing systems, leveraging and alignment features between the staple cartridge and the surgical device, staple cartridges having multi-staple drivers, single-firing knifes and lockout/safety features for the same, and/or modified staple patterns, for example. Certain components can be 3D-printed components.

Mating features between drivers and underside of a cartridge deck

A surgical stapling assembly is disclosed. The surgical stapling assembly can include a first jaw, a second jaw, an articulation joint, a closure drive comprising a first flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint, and a firing drive comprising a second flexible rotary drive extending through the articulation joint and rotatable independent of the first flexible rotary drive. The surgical stapling assembly can further include a 3D-printed component.

Method of using a powered stapling device

Rotary-driven surgical stapling assembly comprising eccentrically driven firing member

A rotary manifold includes a manifold assembly outer body assembly with a generally toroid outer body, a number of manifold assembly outer body assembly bearing assemblies, a number of seals, and a number of fluid couplings. The manifold assembly outer body assembly body defines a number of radial passages. A generally toroid manifold assembly inner body defines a number of right angle passages. The manifold assembly inner body is rotatably disposed within the manifold assembly outer body assembly body. Each manifold assembly inner body passage inlet is discontinuously in fluid communication with the manifold assembly outer body assembly body passage outlets. Each manifold assembly inner body passage outlet is discontinuously in fluid communication with the process shaft assembly body passages inlets.

Rotary manifold

Methods for operating a surgical instrument are disclosed. In various instances, the methods include preventing the operation of the surgical instrument in some capacity if an unspent staple cartridge is not seated in the surgical instrument. Moreover, in various instances, the methods include preventing the operation of the surgical instrument in some capacity if the surgical instrument cannot identify and/or authenticate the staple cartridge seated in the surgical instrument.

Method for operating a surgical stapling instrument

A surgical instrument comprising a first jaw, a second jaw rotatable relative to said first jaw, and jaw drive system is disclosed. The jaw drive system comprises a drive screw and a closure member threadably engaged with the drive screw configured to close the second jaw. The jaw drive system further comprises an opening link connecting the closure member to the second jaw which acts to open the second jaw when the closure member is driven in an opposite direction. In the event that the second jaw is not opened by the closure link, the jaw drive system further comprises a pull member which is pushed by the closure member to dislodge the second jaw into its open position.

Surgical instrument comprising a closure system including a closure member and an opening member driven by a drive screw

Growing community of inventors

Cincinnati, OH, United States of America

Seth Daniel Holdmeyer