1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an anvil assembly which is suitable for use with a circular anastomosis stapler. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to an anvil assembly having a tiltable head which is suitable for use with a circular anastomosis stapler.
2. Description of Related Art
Circular anastomosis staplers which include an anvil assembly having a tiltable anvil head are known in the art. Such tiltable anvil heads have been disclosed in U.S. Publication No. 2010/0038401 to Milliman and U.S. Publication No. 2008/0230581 to Marczyk, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. The tiltable anvil head normally includes a spring loaded tilting mechanism which tilts the anvil head to its maximum rotation degree as allowed by the stapler geometry. For instance, the tiltable anvil head normally has an operative position at which the anvil head is generally perpendicular to the axis of the stapler, and a fully tilted position at which the anvil head is generally aligned with the axis of the stapler. The tiltable anvil head is pivotable from the operative position to the fully tilted position, but is not able to be maintained at any intermediate positions therebetween. Currently, if excess tissues are placed under the anvil, e.g., when the anvil is manipulated through the colon/bowel or through the anastomotic ring, the excess tissue can inhibit the anvil from being tilted to its maximum rotation degree.
Based on the foregoing, a need still exists for an anvil head that may be partially tilted and maintained at an intermediate position between the operative and fully tilted positions.
The present disclosure features a tilt anvil assembly for incrementally pivoting an anvil in discrete steps between a non-tilted position and a fully tilted position.
One aspect of the present disclosure features a tilt anvil assembly including a center rod and a head assembly. The head assembly includes a housing, a post, and an anvil plate having staple deforming pockets. The head assembly is pivotally secured to the center rod and pivotal in relation to the center rod in discrete steps between a non-tilted position and a fully tilted position.
The head assembly may have a plurality of partially tilted positions relative to the center rod between the non-tilted position and the fully tilted position. The head assembly may be configured to maintain a partially tilted position.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the tilt anvil assembly includes a center rod assembly which further includes a collar member having a spring member hingedly attached thereto. The tilt anvil assembly also includes a head assembly which has a housing, a post, and an anvil plate having staple deforming pockets. The head assembly being pivotally secured to the center rod and pivotal in relation to the center rod between a non-tilted position and a fully tilted position. The post includes a plurality of teeth at least partially along one side thereof. The spring member of the collar member is configured to selectively engage the teeth of the post during pivotal movement of the head assembly.
Another aspect of the present disclosure features a method for pivoting an anvil head assembly of a surgical anvil assembly including the steps of: providing an anvil assembly including a rod and a head assembly pivotally secured to the rod. The head assembly is movable between a non-tilted operative position and a fully tilted position via a plurality of partially tilted positions. The method also includes locking the head assembly in a partially tilted position.
Various embodiments of the presently disclosed tilt anvil assembly are disclosed herein with reference to the drawings wherein:
Embodiments of the presently disclosed anvil assembly will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. Throughout this description, the term “proximal” will refer to the portion of the instrument closest to the operator and the term “distal” will refer to the portion of the instrument furthest from the operator.
With reference still to
Referring now to
With reference to
With reference to
With continued reference to
The support members 160 are laterally spaced apart from each other with a transverse slot 176 defined therebetween. The transverse slot 176 is dimensioned to receive the cam latch member 126 therein. Further, the support members 160 define a pair of transverse throughbores 178 axially aligned with respect to a pivotal axis “C”, and the cam latch member 126 defines a throughbore 126b, such that when the cam latch member 126 is disposed within the transverse slot 176, the throughbores 178 and 126b are coaxially aligned along the pivotal axis “C”.
With reference to
The center rod 152 defines a pair of throughbores 158. When the post 116 and the cam latch member 126 are positioned within the cavity 159a, the throughbores 158, 178 and 126b of the center rod 152, the post 116 and the cam latch member 126, respectively, are coaxially aligned along the axis “C”, and a pivot member 126 is disposed through the throughbores 158, 178 and 126b. As such, the cam latch member 126 is pivotally mounted within the transverse slot 172 of the post 116 about the pivotal axis “C”, and the post 116 is pivotally secured to the center rod 152 about the pivotal axis “C”, which, in turn, causes the head assembly 112 to be pivotally mounted to the center rod assembly 114 about the pivotal axis “C.”
When assembled, the plunger 154, the plunger spring 156 and the collar member 190 are together disposed with the cavity 159a, proximally with respect to the post 116 and the cam latch member 126. The plunger 154 includes a cylindrical main body 154a dimensioned to be disposed in a longitudinal port 156a defined by the plunger spring 156. The plunger 154 also includes an engagement finger 154b extending distally beyond the plunger spring 156. The engagement finger 154b is offset from the pivotal axis “C” of the post 116, and is biased into engagement with an edge 126c of the cam latch 126. Engagement of finger 154b with edge 126c of cam latch 126 presses a leading portion of edge 126f against an inner periphery of the backup plate 120 to urge the head assembly 112 to an operative or non-tilted position on the center rod 152.
The collar member 190 is distally mounted over the plunger 154, and disposed between the plunger 154 and the post 116 when assembled. As illustrated in
The anvil assembly 30 includes a locking mechanism that limits tilting of the head assembly 112 relative to the center rod assembly 114, and secures the anvil assembly 30 in the non-tilting position. Specifically, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
With reference to
It is noted that the head assembly 112 will not immediately tilt upon firing of a stapling device 10 because, upon firing, the head assembly 112 is in an approximated position, i.e., the anvil head assembly 112 is in close alignment with the shell assembly 31 of the stapling device 10. As such, the head assembly 112 will only begin to tilt when the head assembly 112 and the shell assembly 31 of the stapling device 10 are being unapproximated.
With reference to
As illustrated in
It will be understood that various modifications may be made to the embodiments disclosed herein. The above description should not be construed as limiting, but merely as exemplifications of preferred embodiments. Those skilled in the art will envision other modifications within the scope and spirit of the claims appended hereto.
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Entry |
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