Linear surgical stapler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12527573-B2
Application number	US-202318347635-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2023
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Jan 20, 2026
Grant date	Jan 20, 2026

Abstract

A staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapler includes a cartridge body, a deck defined configured to compress tissue against an anvil of the surgical stapler, and a plurality of staple openings formed in the deck. A plurality of staples is disposed within the staple openings, with each staple having a pair of legs. A plurality of staple drivers is also disposed within the staple openings, with the staple drivers being actuatable to drive the staples through tissue and against the anvil to form the legs. Each of the staple drivers includes a driver body, a first pocket disposed on a first lateral side of the driver body, and a second pocket disposed on a second lateral side of the driver body. The first and second pockets are configured to receive the legs of the respective staple when the legs are formed against the anvil.

First claim

We claim:

1 . A staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body including a knife slot having a distal end and a proximal end; (b) a plurality of staples, wherein each of the staples includes a pair of legs; and (c) a deck defined by the cartridge body and having a plurality of staple openings that house the staples, wherein the deck is configured to compress tissue against an anvil of the surgical stapler, wherein the deck includes a plurality of protrusions that extend upwardly and are thus configured to grip tissue, wherein the protrusions include an endcap positioned distal to the distal end of the knife slot, wherein the endcap includes a distally facing tapered surface having a longitudinal length that extends parallel to the knife slot and is longer than the longitudinal length of any other tapered surface of the endcap, wherein the deck defines a planar surface extending between opposing lateral sides of the cartridge body, wherein the planar surface extends from one lateral side of the cartridge body to the opposing lateral side of the cartridge body, wherein the endcap is positioned along the planar surface.

2 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions spans between adjacent staple openings of the plurality of staple openings.

3 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is discrete from any other protrusion of the plurality of protrusions.

4 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is longitudinally aligned with a respective one of the staple openings.

5 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a protrusion of the plurality of protrusions includes a pair of end features that face in opposing longitudinal directions.

6 . The staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the pair of end features includes a first end feature and a second end feature, wherein the first end feature opens to and wraps partially around an end portion of a first staple opening of the plurality of staple openings.

7 . The staple cartridge of claim 6 , wherein the second end feature opens to and wraps partially around an end portion of a second staple opening of the plurality of staple openings.

8 . The staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the cartridge body has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of staple openings includes a plurality of rows, wherein each row is parallel to the longitudinal axis.

9 . The staple cartridge of claim 8 , wherein a first protrusion and a second protrusion are within the same row of the plurality of rows.

10 . The staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the pair of end features are integrally connected by a recessed bridge.

11 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the endcap is distal to the plurality of staple openings.

12 . The staple cartridge of claim 11 , wherein the endcap includes a ramp that tapers distally toward a distal end of the staple cartridge, wherein the ramp includes the at least a portion of the distally facing tapered surface.

13 . The staple cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the ramp is configured to prevent tissue from snagging or bunching against the endcap.

14 . The staple cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the cartridge body has a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of staple openings includes a plurality of rows, wherein each row is parallel to the longitudinal axis, wherein each row of the plurality of rows associates with a respective ramp.

15 . The staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the knife slot extends along a longitudinal axis, wherein the plurality of protrusions includes a first protrusion, wherein the plurality of protrusions includes a second protrusion, wherein the first and second protrusions are positioned on opposing lateral sides of the knife slot from one another.

16 . The staple cartridge of claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second protrusions terminates at proximal and distal ends of the knife slot.

17 . The staple cartridge of claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second protrusions includes a tapered distal end.

18 . The staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein the staple cartridge further includes a tissue gap post extending above the deck, wherein each of the tapered distal ends is disposed proximal to the tissue gap post.

19 . A staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body defining a linear knife slot configured to slidably guide a knife, the linear knife slot having a distal end and a proximal end; (b) a plurality of staples, wherein each of the staples includes a pair of legs; and (c) a deck defined by the cartridge body and having:
(i) a planar surface configured to compress tissue against an anvil of the surgical stapler, wherein the planar surface extends from a first lateral side of the cartridge body to an opposed second lateral side of the cartridge body,
(ii) a plurality of staple openings that house the staples,
(iii) a plurality of protrusions that extend upwardly from the planar surface and are thus configured to grip tissue, wherein each protrusion of the plurality of protrusions is positioned adjacent to a staple opening of the plurality of staple openings, and
(iv) a plurality of ramp surfaces defined by the protrusions and that taper distally, wherein each ramp surface is configured to promote sliding of tissue proximally over the respective protrusion and is positioned distal to the distal end of the linear knife slot, wherein each ramp surface extends distally beyond the plurality of staple openings.

20 . A staple cartridge configured for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body having a knife slot configured to slidably guide a knife; (b) a plurality of staples, wherein each of the staples includes a pair of legs; and (c) a deck defined by the cartridge body and having a plurality of staple openings that house the staples, wherein the deck is configured to compress tissue against an anvil of the surgical stapler, wherein the deck defines a planar surface, wherein the deck includes a plurality of protrusions that extend upwardly and are thus configured to grip tissue, wherein the protrusions include:
(i) a plurality of stand-off protrusions, wherein each stand-off protrusion includes a pair of end surfaces that face in opposing longitudinal directions,
(ii) a plurality of endcaps, wherein each endcap includes a ramp that tapers distally toward a distal end of the staple cartridge, wherein each endcap is positioned distal to the plurality of stand-off protrusions, and
(iii) a pair of elongate ribs positioned on opposing adjacent lateral sides of the knife slot and extending upwardly above the plurality of staple openings, wherein the plurality of endcaps and the pair of elongate ribs are raised relative to the planar surface, wherein each endcap of the plurality of endcaps is separated from each elongate rib of the pair of elongate ribs by the planar surface.

Assignees

• Cilag Gmbh Int

Inventors

• Schings Brian D
• White William J
• Jones Jason D
• Wynn Carol J
• Nalagatla Anil K
• Deck Andrew C

Classifications

• A61B2017/07271

  characterised by its cartridge · CPC title

• A61B2017/07257

  characterised by its anvil · CPC title

• A61B2090/0814

  Preventing re-use · CPC title

• A61B2017/07285

  characterised by its cutter · CPC title

• A61B2090/034

  abutting on parts of the device itself · CPC title