Bailout assembly for surgical stapler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016374669-A1
Application number	US-201514751426-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 26, 2015
Priority date	Jun 26, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes an anvil, a staple applying assembly, an adjustment member, a user input feature, and a bailout assembly. The staple applying assembly includes a distal surface defining openings and a driver that is operable to drive an annular array of staples through the openings of the distal surface and into tissue. The adjustment member is operable to adjust the position of the anvil to thereby vary a gap distance defined between the anvil and the distal surface. The adjustment member includes a first section and a second section. The user input feature is operable to actuate the driver to thereby drive the staples. The bailout assembly is operable to selectively separate the first section of the adjustment member from the second section of the adjustment member.

First claim

I/we claim:

1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) an anvil; (b) a staple applying assembly, wherein the staple applying assembly comprises:
(i) a distal surface defining openings, and
(ii) a driver operable to drive an annular array of staples through the openings of the distal surface and into tissue;
(c) an adjustment member, wherein the adjustment member is operable to adjust the position of the anvil to thereby vary a gap distance defined between the anvil and the distal surface, wherein the adjustment member comprises:
(i) a first section, and
(ii) a second section, wherein the first and second sections are configured to cooperate in a state of tension to maintain a selected gap distance between the anvil and the distal surface;
(d) a user input feature in communication with the driver, wherein user input feature is operable to actuate the driver to thereby drive the staples; and (e) a bailout assembly in communication with the adjustment member, wherein the bailout assembly is operable to selectively separate the first section of the adjustment member from the second section of the adjustment member to thereby relieve the tension.

2 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the adjustment member further comprises a knob.

3 . The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the knob is in communication with the anvil via a rod extending from the anvil to the knob, wherein the first section and the second section of the adjustment member together define the rod.

4 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first section of the adjustment member has a first threaded portion, wherein the second section has a second threaded portion.

5 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the bailout assembly comprises a coupling member, wherein the coupling member includes a first thread set and a second thread set, wherein the first thread set is engaged with the first threaded portion of the adjustment member, wherein the second thread set is engaged with the second threaded portion.

6 . The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the first thread set of the coupling member has a thread pitch orientation that is opposite to a thread pitch orientation of the second thread set of the coupling member.

7 . The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the coupling member is configured to drive the first and second sections of the adjustment member apart in response to rotation of the coupling member about a longitudinal axis of the adjustment member.

8 . The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the coupling member further comprises a plurality of actuation teeth.

9 . The surgical instrument of claim 8 , wherein the bailout assembly further comprises a pawl member, wherein the pawl member is configured to selectively engage the actuation teeth of the coupling member to thereby rotate the coupling member.

10 . The surgical instrument of claim 4 , wherein the first section of the adjustment member comprises a female end, wherein the second section of the adjustment member comprises a male end, wherein the male end of the first section is insertable into the female end.

11 . The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the female end of the first section includes a first opening, wherein the male end of the second section includes a second opening, wherein the first opening and the second opening are configured to align when the male end of the second section is inserted into the female end of the first section.

12 . The surgical instrument of claim 11 , wherein the bailout assembly includes a coupling member, wherein the coupling member is insertable through the first opening of the first section and the second opening of the second section.

13 . The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the bailout assembly further comprises an actuator, wherein the actuator is operable to selectively pull the coupling member from the first and second openings to thereby decouple the first section from the second section.

14 . The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the staple applying assembly further comprises:
(i) a knife member, (ii) at least one pin, wherein the at least one pin couples the knife member with the driver such that the driver is operable to drive the knife through tissue in addition to driving staples through tissue, and (iii) a pin removal feature operable to selectively remove the pin to thereby selectively decouple the knife member from the driver.

15 . The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the pin removal feature is operable independently relative to the bailout assembly.

16 . A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a body assembly, wherein the body assembly comprises:
(i) a first actuator, and
(ii) a second actuator;
(b) an elongate shaft assembly, wherein the shaft assembly comprises:
(i) a first drive member, wherein the first drive member has an effective length, and
(ii) a second drive member;
(c) an end effector, wherein the end effector disposed on the distal end of the shaft assembly, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) an anvil, wherein the anvil is in communication with the first drive member, wherein the first actuator is operable to adjust a longitudinal position of the anvil via the first drive member, and
(ii) a staple driver, wherein the staple driver is in communication with the second drive member, wherein the second actuator is operable to initiate a firing sequence of the second drive member to fire the staple driver; and
(d) an anvil release assembly, wherein the anvil release member is configured to selectively expand the effective length first drive member.

17 . The surgical instrument of claim 16 , wherein the anvil release assembly comprises a release member, wherein the release member is pivotable from a neutral position to a released position, wherein the released position corresponds to the first drive member being in an expanded state.

18 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the anvil release assembly further comprises a coupling member, wherein the coupling member extends laterally from the release member, wherein the coupling member is responsive to the release member to selectively decouple at least a portion of the first drive member from being in communication with the anvil.

19 . The surgical instrument of claim 17 , wherein the anvil release assembly further comprises a coupling member, wherein the coupling member is rotatable relative to the first drive member to selectively expand the first drive member.

20 . A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) an end effector, wherein the end effector is operable to drive a plurality of staples into tissue; (b) a drive assembly comprising a first driver and a second driver, wherein the first driver is operable to adjust the end effector from a first position to a second position, wherein the second driver is operable to actuate the end effector to drive the plurality of staples into tissue; (c) a trigger in communication with the driver, wherein the trigger is operable to actuate the second driver to thereby actuate the end effector; and (e) a release member, wherein the release member is configured to actuate from a first position to a second position, wherein the release member is further configured to return the end effector to the first position in response to actuating the release member from the first position to the second position.

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Overmyer Mark D
• Zerkle Jason E
• Smith Craig S
• Sackett Kevin D
• Schellin Emily A
• Houser Kevin L
• Scheib Charles J
• Shelton Iv Frederick E

Classifications

• A61B17/068 Primary

  Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00}) · CPC title

• A61B17/105

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

• A61B17/1155 Primary

  Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples · CPC title

• A61B2017/1132

  End-to-end connections · CPC title

• A61B2090/08021

  of the patient or his organs · CPC title