Ethicon, Gmbh

Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Sven Hempel

Gerhard F Buess

Thomas Schuldt

Kirsten Huss

Thomas Wulf

A surgical staple means for the induction of wound sutures which consists of a base and a top layer connected to the suture base via stems, the tissue layers being pressed together between the base and the top layer, is designed in one part. The strip-shaped base comprises a plurality of prong-shaped staple elements which are arranged perpendicular to the plane of the base at a defined distance one behind the other in a row or in several parallel rows. Each staple element comprises a stem which is rigid relative to the base and a piercer pivotally connected to the stem, the piercers being equidirectionally foldable for the formation of the top layer of the staple means after the penetration of the tissue layers, the piercers also comprising locking elements which provide a form-locking connection of neighboring piercers. A device for the induction of the staple means is also described.

Surgical staple suturing means

A cutting device for a surgical instrument, especially for a laparoscopic instrument, for the cutting of binding element, such as ligature binders, surgical suture material, etc. or of other objects is described, the end-piece which is to be out off of the object being drawn in by the instrument until a thicker section of the object, such as the headpiece of a ligature binder or a knot in surgical suture materials, etc., reaches the vicinity of the instrument head. The cutting device has a cutting part arranged at the instrument head, the cutting edge of the cutting part being moved essentially transversely through the end-piece by an actuation part engaging at the thicker section upon the continued drawing-in of the end-piece which is severed when a pre-set force is exceeded.

Surgical cutting device

A flexible cannula consists of a flexible tube, whose distal zone is introducible into the inside of the body through a trocar puncture point, and a top piece. The top piece is divided into a housing which is flat when seen in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the cannula and which is secured at the proximal end of the tube and contains a closure device and a flexible intermediate tube which, starting from the proximal end wall of the housing, extends along the longitudinal axis of the cannula.

Flexible cannula

An endoscopic instrument for the application of ligature binders and a ligature are described. A base body and an actuation part of a handle part are longitudinally displaceable relative to each other against an elastic force within a fixed range. Connected to the actuation part is an actuation rod at whose distal end a first ratchet heat is secured. A shaft, firmly connected to the base body, carries a second ratchet head at its distal end. With the help of the ratchet heads, which are matched to the toothed end zone of a ligature binder, a ligature can be drawn together. A ligature whose end zone has already been inserted into the endoscopic instrument prior to the operation can be brought into a closed shape with the help of a constricted zone in its binding part and of a longitudinal slot in its headpiece.

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Kaltenkirchen, Germany

Sven Hempel