Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ethicon, Gmbh

Steven W Hamblin

David A Witt

Craig B Berky

Thomas J Sierocuk

Matthew R Otten

Kirk M Nicola

Rudolph Henry Nobis

Robert L Koch, Jr

John P Measamer

Michael D Cronin

Hector Chow

James H Chambers

Robert F Welch

Ronald R VanOverloop

Charles A Hansford

Navneet T Sharma

John I Izuchukwu

John A Kretchman

Richard R Schweet

John J Mertz

Frederick J Reber, Ii

Jeff Kirk

David Wolf

An improved surgical stapler which allows for the multi-directional release of staples includes a stapler body and a driver contained therein. A magazine is connected to the stapler body and includes a staple track for carrying a plurality of staples wherein each of the staples has staple legs. An anvil is associated with the staple track for providing a staple forming surface for forming a staple thereon. A feeder element which is spring biased against the staples is used for feeding each staple from the staple track to the anvil. A trigger is operatively connected to the driver and is movable from a pre-fire position to a firing position for advancing the driver against the anvil for forming the staple against the anvil. A kick-off spring is positioned beneath and substantially parallel to the staple track and the anvil. The kick-off spring has a deflectable tip which is deflected away from the anvil and engages the staple legs of the staple by downwardly camming against the staple legs when the trigger is moved from its pre-fire position to its firing position. The kick-off spring ejects the staples off of and away from the anvil by disengaging the staple legs with the deflectable tip by upwardly camming against the staple legs upon returning of the trigger from the firing position to the pre-fire position.

Skin stapler with multi-directional release mechanism

A surgical stapling instrument with a remotely articulated staple head assembly on a rotatable support shaft. A joy stick mounted to the shaft of the instrument near the handle allows for remote articulation of the staple head assembly. The staple head assembly includes a narrow contour for insertion between adjacent rib pairs without rib spreading. The staple head assembly further includes a reloadable staple cartridge which may be replaced with differently sized staples of a second cartridge. A closure trigger clamps tissue prior to stapling and cooperates with a second trigger that performs the staple firing operation. The triggers include a safety lock mechanism for preventing premature staple firing.

Reloadable surgical instrument

Surgical stapling instrument with remotely articulated stapling head

A surgical handheld instrument which is used in a minimally invasive surgical procedure such as a laparoscopic surgical procedure comprises a handle body and an elongated shaft connected to the handle body at a proximal end of the shaft. An end effector such as a pair of movable jaws are located at the distal end of the shaft. An actuation handle member is movably connected to the handle body and is operatively connected to the end effector for actuating movement of the end effector. Thus, upon movement of the handle actuation member, the end effector, such as movable jaw elements, can be opened or closed. The handle body also includes a locking tab, having a Z-shaped configuration wherein one end of the locking tab has a hole therethrough. An arcuate locking rod having a smooth, uniform surface is connected at one end to the handle actuation member and is insertable at its opposite end through the hole of the locking tab such that the arcuate locking rod is in movable contact with the locking tab. A release trigger is operatively connected to the locking tab for releasing contact of the arcuate locking rod and the locking tab. A biasing spring is included in the handle body for biasing the locking tab against the release trigger in a locked position.

Variable position handle locking mechanism

Surgical instrument having staple head adapted for rib insertion

Handle actuator for surgical instrument having flexible cable

Handle actuator for surgical instrument having clamp lock and emergency

A fast closure mechanism for a linear surgical stapling device as described. This comprises a double four-bar linkage which operates to both place a retaining pin into an anvil and properly and quickly approximate the staple cartridge to the anvil. Thereafter, a gap-setting screw is used so that the proper gap is set between the anvil and the cartridge. Firing is accomplished only after the gap is properly set and within the appropriate gap described pre-determined for the instrument. After firing, opening of the stapler may be accomplished with a similar fast opening motion.

Fast closure device for linear surgical stapling instrument

Growing community of inventors

Loveland, OH, United States of America

Steven W Hamblin