Surgical stapling apparatus including an anvil and cartridge each having cooperating mating surfaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016278779-A1
Application number	US-201615160375-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 20, 2016
Priority date	Apr 11, 2002
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Surgical stapling apparatus are disclosed including an anvil having a working surface with a shaped topography; and a staple cartridge, in juxtaposition with the anvil. The staple cartridge includes a working surface with shaped topography which is complementary to the shaped topography of the working surface of the shaped anvil. When the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated with or toward one another, at least a portion of the working surface of the anvil cooperates with at least a portion of the working surface of the staple cartridge to enhance alignment of the staple cartridge and the anvil in at least one of a transverse and longitudinal direction.

First claim

1 . (canceled)

2 . A surgical stapling apparatus including an end effector defining a longitudinal axis, the end effector comprising:
an anvil including a working surface that defines staple deforming depressions; and a staple cartridge including a working surface that is curved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the working surface of the staple cartridge defining staple retention slots that support surgical staples therein, the surgical staples configured to deform against the staple deforming depressions of the anvil upon a firing of the surgical stapling apparatus.

3 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the working surface of the staple cartridge extends along a majority of a length of the staple cartridge.

4 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the working surface of one of the anvil and the staple cartridge has a convex configuration.

5 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the working surface of one of the anvil and the staple cartridge has a concave configuration.

6 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the working surface of the anvil has a configuration complementary to a configuration of the working surface of the staple cartridge.

7 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the staple cartridge includes a channel formed therethrough.

8 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the channel is configured to accommodate a knife slidably disposed therethrough.

9 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the working surface of the staple cartridge is curved along the longitudinal axis.

10 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the staple cartridge includes a pair of parallel spaced side walls and a planar bottom wall opposing the working surface of the staple cartridge.

11 . The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8 , wherein a portion of the working surface of the anvil is received between the pair of parallel spaced side walls of the staple cartridge while the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated.

12 . An end effector comprising:
a first jaw; a second jaw opposing the first jaw; an anvil disposed in the first jaw and having a working surface, the working surface of the anvil defining staple forming depressions; and a staple cartridge disposed in the second jaw and having a curved working surface, the curved working surface of the staple cartridge defining staple retention slots disposed in juxtaposition with the staple forming depressions of the anvil with the anvil and staple cartridge in close cooperative alignment.

13 . The end effector of claim 12 , wherein the curved working surface of the staple cartridge extends along a majority of a length of the staple cartridge.

14 . The end effector of claim 12 , wherein the working surface of the anvil or the curved working surface of the staple cartridge has a convex configuration.

15 . The end effector of claim 12 , wherein the working surface of the anvil or the curved working surface of the staple cartridge has a concave configuration.

16 . The end effector of claim 12 , further defining a longitudinal axis extending therealong, and wherein the working surface of the anvil and the curved working surface of the staple cartridge is curved along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis.

17 . The end effector of claim 16 , wherein the anvil includes a pair of parallel spaced side walls and a planar top wall opposing the working surface of the anvil.

18 . The end effector of claim 17 , wherein the staple cartridge includes a pair of parallel spaced side walls and a planar bottom wall opposing the curved working surface of the staple cartridge.

19 . The end effector of claim 18 , wherein the anvil and staple cartridge are configured such that upon approximation of the anvil and the staple cartridge, a portion of the working surface of the anvil is disposed between the pair of parallel spaced side walls of the staple cartridge.

20 . An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus, the end effector defining a longitudinal axis and comprising:
an anvil including a working surface that defines staple deforming depressions; and a staple cartridge including a working surface that is curved in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the working surface of the staple cartridge defining staple retention slots that support surgical staples therein, the surgical staples configured to deform against the staple deforming depressions of the anvil upon a firing of end effector.

21 . The end effector of claim 20 , wherein the working surface of the staple cartridge extends along a majority of a length of the staple cartridge.

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Jankowski Bruce K

Classifications

• A61B17/32

  Surgical cutting instruments ({A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467;} implements for ligaturing and cutting {A61B17/122, A61B17/12; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133}) · CPC title

• A61B2017/07214

  Stapler heads · CPC title

• A61B17/105 Primary

  Wound clamp magazines (for packaging sharps A61B50/3001) · CPC title

• A61B17/07207

  the staples being applied sequentially · CPC title

• A61B17/115

  Staplers for performing anastomosis, e.g. in a single operation · CPC title