Circular stapler with selectable motorized and manual control, including a control ring

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9532783-B2
Application number	US-201213716313-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2012
Priority date	Dec 17, 2012
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

An apparatus for stapling tissue comprises a stapling head assembly, a rotary drive shaft, and a mode selector. The stapling head assembly comprises a closure assembly and a firing assembly. The closure assembly is operable to clamp tissue against an anvil. The firing assembly is operable to drive at least one staple through tissue toward the anvil. The mode selector is operable to select between a tissue clamping mode and a firing mode. The rotary drive shaft is operable to actuate the closure assembly in response to selection of the tissue clamping mode. The rotary drive shaft is operable to actuate the firing assembly in response to selection of the firing mode. The mode selector may translate the rotary drive shaft between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position to select between the tissue clamping mode and the firing mode. The mode selector may comprise a sliding ring.

First claim

We claim:

1. An apparatus for stapling tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a stapling head assembly, wherein the stapling head assembly comprises:
(i) a closure assembly operable to clamp tissue against an anvil, and
(ii) a firing assembly operable to drive at least one staple through tissue toward the anvil;

(b) a rotary drive shaft in communication with the stapling head assembly; and
(c) a body assembly coupled to the rotary drive shaft, wherein the body assembly comprises a mode selector operable to select between a tissue clamping mode and a firing mode, wherein the rotary drive shaft is operable to actuate the closure assembly in response to selection of the tissue clamping mode, wherein the rotary drive shaft is operable to actuate the firing assembly in response to selection of the firing mode.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mode selector is operable to translate the rotary drive shaft between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position to select between the tissue clamping mode and the firing mode.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body assembly further comprises a housing, wherein the mode selector comprises an annular member movable relative to the housing of the body assembly.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the housing of the body assembly further defines a plurality of slots, wherein the mode selector further includes a pin member projecting from the annular member, wherein the pin member is configured to traverse the plurality of slots during mode selection by the mode selector.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the mode selector is movable between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the proximal position is associated with the firing mode, wherein the distal position is associated with the tissue clamping mode.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the mode selector is rotatable in a first direction to trigger rotation of the rotary drive shaft to close the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the mode selector is rotatable in a second direction to trigger rotation of the rotary drive shaft to open the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the mode selector is rotatable in a first direction to trigger rotation of the rotary drive shaft to drive at least one staple through tissue from the stapling head assembly toward the anvil.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the firing assembly is further operable to drive a knife through tissue.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body assembly comprises a switch, wherein the switch is configured to selectively activate the stapling head assembly, wherein the switch is positioned to be activated in response to rotation of the mode selector.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a motor, wherein the motor is operable to drive the rotary drive shaft.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a manual operation selector operable to selectively disengage the motor from the rotary drive shaft to provide manual rotation of the rotary drive shaft.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 , further comprising a control assembly, wherein the control assembly comprises:
(i) a sensor configured to sense one or more conditions associated with operation of the stapling head assembly, and
(ii) a control module in communication with the sensor and the motor, wherein the control module is operable to control operation of the motor based at least in part on a signal from the sensor.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
(a) a feedback feature, wherein the feedback feature is operable to provide one or both of audio or visual feedback to an operator to indicate a condition associated with operation of the stapling head assembly; and
(b) a control assembly, comprising:
(i) a sensor configured to sense one or more conditions associated with operation of the stapling head assembly, and
(ii) a control module in communication with the sensor and the feedback feature, wherein the control module is operable to drive the feedback feature based at least in part on a signal from the sensor.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the apparatus is configured to switch between a manual operation mode and a motorized operation mode, wherein the control assembly is operable to drive the feedback feature to indicate whether the manual operation mode or the motorized operation mode is selected.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the control assembly is operable to drive the feedback feature to indicate whether the tissue clamping mode or the firing mode is selected.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the control assembly is operable to drive the feedback feature to indicate a distance between the anvil and the stapling head assembly.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the body assembly defines a handle.

19. An apparatus for stapling tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a stapling head assembly, wherein the stapling head assembly is configured to selectively operate in a tissue clamping mode or a tissue stapling mode, wherein the stapling head assembly is operable to drive an anvil to clamp tissue in the tissue clamping mode, wherein the stapling head assembly is operable to staple tissue in the tissue stapling mode;
(b) a rotary drive shaft operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue clamping mode, wherein the rotary drive shaft is further operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue stapling mode; and
(c) a body coupled with the rotary drive shaft, wherein the body comprises:
(i) a shaft rotation feature, wherein the shaft rotation feature is operable to rotate the rotary drive shaft, and
(ii) a shaft translation feature, wherein the shaft translation feature is operable to translate the rotary drive shaft between a first longitudinal position and a second longitudinal position,
wherein the rotary drive shaft is operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue clamping mode in response to the rotary drive shaft being in the first longitudinal position,
wherein the rotary drive shaft is operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue stapling mode in response to the rotary drive shaft being in the second longitudinal position.

20. An apparatus for stapling tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a stapling head assembly configured to selectively operate in a tissue clamping mode or a tissue stapling mode;
(b) a drive assembly comprising a motor, wherein the drive assembly is operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue clamping mode,
wherein the drive assembly is further operable to drive the stapling head assembly in the tissue stapling mode;

(c) a mode selector operable to transition the stapling head assembly between the tissue clamping mode and the tissue stapling mode;
(d) a feedback feature operable to provide an indication of mode selection by the mode selector; and
(e) a manual operation selector operable to selectively disengage the motor from the drive assembly to provide manual driving of the drive assembly.

Assignees

• Ethicon Endo Surgery Inc
• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Swayze Jeffrey S
• Baxter Iii Chester O
• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Johnson Gregory W

Classifications

• A61B2017/00734

  battery operated · CPC title

• A61B2017/00393

  with means for switching between functions · CPC title

• A61B2017/00398

  using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids · CPC title

• A61B17/1155 Primary

  Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples · CPC title

• A61B2017/00115

  with audible or visual output · CPC title