This invention is related to surgical staplers. Specifically, but not intended to limit the invention, embodiments of the invention are related to staplers, actuators, and staples.
A number of surgical staplers are known in the industry. In some designs, a cartridge is provided to support a number of staples therein. An anvil rotatable relative to the cartridge is also provided to assist with staple formation during staple deployment. There remains a need, however, for a stapler and methods that provide better control during deployment and/or other new and useful improvements.
An exemplary surgical staple has a pair of staple legs and a backspan positioned between the pair of staple legs, the backspan and the pair of staple legs formed by bending a wire. At least one recess is positioned in the wire to influence a folding direction of at least one staple leg during tissue stapling. The exemplary surgical staple is configured to pierce tissue only once with each staple leg during the tissue stapling.
An exemplary method of making a surgical staple includes providing a wire, and bending the wire to form a pair of staple legs and a backspan positioned between the pair of staple legs. The exemplary method includes forming at least one recess positioned in the wire to influence a folding direction of at least one staple leg during tissue stapling, wherein the surgical staple is configured to pierce tissue only once with each staple leg during the tissue stapling. The forming the at least one recess includes at least one of displacing material in the wire or removing material from the wire. The surgical staple is configured to form a consistent tissue gap between the pair of staple legs and the backspan after the tissue stapling.
An exemplary method includes providing a surgical stapler. The surgical stapler has an anvil opposing a cartridge, the cartridge housing at least one staple, the at least one staple having a pair of staple legs, a backspan positioned between the pair of staple legs, the backspan and the pair of staple legs formed by bending a wire, and at least one recess positioned in the wire to influence a folding direction of at least one staple leg during tissue stapling. The surgical staple is configured to pierce tissue only once with each staple leg during the tissue stapling. The exemplary method further includes approximating the anvil and the cartridge with tissue positioned therebetween. The exemplary method further includes ejecting the at least one staple from the cartridge toward the anvil to cause the pair of staple legs pierce the tissue and to contact the anvil and bend the pair of staple legs inward to form the consistent tissue gap without piercing the tissue a second time.
With reference now to
One of the jaws 104 may house a plurality of staples (not illustrated) therein, for translation towards the other jaw 102 and deformation to staple tissue clamped between the jaws 102, 104. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the jaw 104 may include a housing and cartridge for holding the staples, or, as illustrated, the jaw 104 may be a single component for housing the staples and/or pushers and operatively couple to the elongated member 106.
As illustrated in
Continuing with
By disconnecting the lower clamping member 118 prior to retracting the elongated member 114, the elongated member 114 does not clamp the jaws 102, 104 of the device together during a retracting motion. One advantage of disconnecting the lower clamping member 118 prior to retracting is that the force required to retract the elongated member 114 may be reduced, which can be a major driver of handle design in some surgical staplers. For example, some surgical staplers currently on the market include a separate lever that the user must retract (using a second hand) to pull the member back. Others require an additional trigger actuation to retract the member. Still others rely on a motor to drive and/or retract the member.
Another advantage of disengaging the lower member 118 from the elongated member 114 is that, in the event the stapler 100 malfunctions or is fired upon an obstruction and/or the member 114 seizes mid-stroke, the user has the ability to disengage the member 114 from the lower clamp or jaw 104 and release the tissue. With existing staplers, if the drive member jams in the middle of the stroke and cannot be retracted, the tissue must be cut out of the jaws.
In some embodiments, the stapler 100 may include a bailout mechanism (not illustrated) to provide the user with the ability to extract the member 114 if it seizes mid-stroke.
Turning now to
As illustrated in
Turning now to
Turning now to
Returning now to
In some embodiments, a surgical stapler has a cutting mechanism as described above, and a sled 120 for ejecting staples, wherein the sled 120 is translated distally by the elongated member 114, and wherein the sled 120 and the lower clamping member 118 are deposited in a distal portion of the stapler during staple ejection.
A method of operating a surgical stapler may include (1) positioning a cutting mechanism in a proximal position whereby the stapler is placed in an open configuration; (2) positioning the cutting mechanism in an intermediate position whereby the stapler is placed in a trocar configuration; and (3) positioning the cutting mechanism in a distal position whereby the stapler is placed in a tissue clamp configuration.
Turning now to
In some embodiments, the backspan 2602 has a length L. The length L may be substantially in line with an intended staple line. The length L may be greater than a width of the backspan 2602. In some embodiments, the length L is greater than about 3 millimeters. In some embodiments, the length is about 4 millimeters or more. In some embodiments, the length L is about 5 millimeters. In some embodiments, the length L of the backspan 2602 is greater than a length of the leg(s) 2604.
At the bend between the backspan 2602 and one or both legs 2604 may be a recessed portion 2606. The recessed portion 2606 may be a portion that is notched out of the material forming the backspan 2602 and legs 2604, and may be referenced herein as a notch. The notch may be formed by displacing material (such as by a coining operation) or by removing material.
In some embodiments, the recessed portion 2606 influences the folding direction of the associated staple leg 2604. The recessed portion 2606 may reduce the incidence of a leg buckling and/or may reduce the force required to bend the leg 2604 relative to the backspan 2602.
In some embodiments, the recessed portions 2606 are placed to cause the leg(s) 2604 to form inward (e.g. in plane or parallel with with the backspan 2602) after stapling.
In some embodiments, the recessed portions 2606 may be placed circumferentially around the leg(s) 2604 to form the legs around (straddling) the backspan 2602.
Turning now to
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, a portion or all of the surface area intended for contact with stapled tissue may be texturized. In some embodiments, the texturized surface 2610 is provided by way of mechanical treatment (such as, for example, knurling, coining, blasting), chemical treatment (such as, for example, etching), and/or other energy treatment (such as, for example, EDM, laser).
In some embodiments, and as illustrated in
As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the staple 2600 may be configured to pierce tissue only once with each staple leg 2604. That is, the staple 2600 may be configured so as to prevent the staple 2600 from piercing stapled tissue a second time with the same leg 2604 such as by rolling the staple leg 2604 back. It is believed by the Applicant that limiting tissue piercing is particularly beneficial when stapling on vasculature.
Returning now to
In some embodiments, and as illustrated in
The following clauses set out further illustrative aspects useful for understanding the appended claims:
Clause (1): A cutting mechanism for a surgical stapler, the cutting mechanism having: an elongated member having a length and a height, a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an elongated slot extending a portion of the length of the elongated member, wherein the distal portion comprises a cutting surface, and wherein the elongated slot comprises a distal slot portion, an intermediate slot portion, and a proximal slot portion, the distal slot portion positioned one of higher or lower than the intermediate slot portion, and the proximal slot portion positioned the other one of higher or lower than the intermediate slot portion; and a first clamping member adjacent the distal portion of the elongated member.
Clause (2) The cutting mechanism of clause 1, wherein: the distal portion is configured to detachably engage a second clamping member adjacent the distal portion of the elongated member.
Clause (3) The cutting mechanism of clause 2, wherein: the first clamping member is an upper clamping member fixed to the elongated member; and the second clamping member is a lower clamping member; and wherein the upper clamping member and the lower clamping member are configured to limit a space between the upper and lower clamping members.
Clause (4) The cutting mechanism of clause 1, wherein: the second clamping member further comprises a sled configured to engage one or more staple pushers.
Clause (5) A surgical stapler comprising: a cartridge housing at least one staple; an anvil movable relative to the cartridge a cutting mechanism as claimed in claim 1, the cutting mechanism movable between a proximal position and a distal position relative to the cartridge; and a sled for ejecting the at least one staple; wherein the elongated member is configured to engage the sled during a first movement from the proximal position to the distal position, whereby the at least one staple is ejected during the first movement.
Clause (6) The surgical stapler of clause 5, wherein: the elongated member is configured to disengage from the sled during a second movement from the distal position to the proximal position, whereby the sled is deposited at a distal location in the cartridge.
Clause (7) The surgical stapler of clause 5, wherein: the first clamping member of the cutting mechanism is an upper clamping member fixed to the elongated member; and the second clamping member is a lower clamping member; and wherein the upper clamping member and the lower clamping member are configured to limit a space between the upper and lower clamping members.
Clause (8) The surgical stapler of clause 5, wherein: the sled is fixed to the second clamping member.
Clause (9) The surgical stapler of clause 5, further comprising: a resilient member configured to bias the anvil one of toward the cartridge or away from the cartridge.
Clause (10) The surgical stapler of clause 5, further comprising: a resilient member configured to bias the anvil toward the cartridge.
Clause (11) The surgical stapler of clause 9 or 10, wherein: the resilient member and the first clamping member cooperate to position the anvil in a tissue clamp configuration when the elongated member is in an intermediate position between the proximal position and the distal position.
Clause (12) A method of operating a surgical stapler having an anvil movable relative to a staple cartridge, the method comprising: positioning a cutting mechanism in a proximal position wherein the cutting mechanism engages the anvil at a first location on the cutting mechanism and whereby the stapler is placed in an open configuration wherein the anvil and the cartridge are in a spaced apart configuration; positioning the cutting mechanism in an intermediate position wherein the cutting mechanism engages the anvil at a second location on the cutting mechanism and whereby the stapler is placed in a trocar configuration wherein the anvil and the cartridge are fully clamped together; and positioning the cutting mechanism in a distal position wherein the cutting mechanism engages the anvil at a third location on the cutting mechanism and whereby the stapler is placed in a tissue clamp configuration wherein the anvil and the cartridge are substantially parallel to each other and have a tissue gap therebetween.
Clause (13) The method of clause 12, wherein: the first location is distal of and lower than the second location and the third location; and the second location is distal of and lower than the third location.
Each of the various elements disclosed herein may be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of an embodiment of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled.
As but one example, it should be understood that all action may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, the disclosure of a “fastener” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “fastening”—whether explicitly discussed or not—and, conversely, were there only disclosure of the act of “fastening”, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a “fastening mechanism”. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
Moreover, the claims shall be construed such that a claim that recites “at least one of A, B, or C” shall read on a device that requires “A” only. The claim shall also read on a device that requires “B” only. The claim shall also read on a device that requires “C” only.
Similarly, the claim shall also read on a device that requires “A+B”. The claim shall also read on a device that requires “A+B+C”, and so forth.
The claims shall also be construed such that any relational language (e.g. perpendicular, straight, parallel, flat, etc.) is understood to include the recitation “within a reasonable manufacturing tolerance at the time the device is manufactured or at the time of the invention, whichever manufacturing tolerance is greater”.
Those skilled in the art can readily recognize that numerous variations and substitutions may be made in the invention, its use and its configuration to achieve substantially the same results as achieved by the embodiments described herein.
Accordingly, there is no intention to limit the invention to the disclosed exemplary forms. Many variations, modifications and alternative constructions fall within the scope and spirit of the invention as expressed in the claims.
This application is a national phase entry of, and claims priority to, PCT Application No. PCT/US19/66804, filed Dec. 17, 2019 and entitled “SURGICAL STAPLER AND RELATED METHODS,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/781,074, filed Dec. 18, 2018 and entitled “SURGICAL STAPLER AND RELATED METHODS,” the entire disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference for all proper purposes.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2019/066804 | 12/17/2019 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62781074 | Dec 2018 | US |