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BR-112021018537-B1 - Staple retainer, staple cartridge unit and surgical stapler

BR112021018537B1BR 112021018537 B1BR112021018537 B1BR 112021018537B1BR-112021018537-B1

Abstract

Staple Retainer for Surgical Stapler Cartridge. The present invention relates to a staple retainer for a surgical staple cartridge unit comprising a body having a first and a second body-facing side configured to be positioned within a defined opening between an anvil and a cartridge unit platform, such that the first body-facing side faces the anvil and the second body-facing side faces the platform. The second body-facing side is configured to retain staples within the holes in the platform. A first protrusion on the first body-facing side is configured to contact the anvil at a first location, and a second protrusion on the first body-facing side is configured to contact the anvil at a second location. The protrusions are configured to deflect resiliently toward the second body-facing side in response to the position of the clamp retainer within the opening, and are further configured to cooperate with the second body-facing side to maintain a predetermined distance between the anvil and the (...).

Inventors

  • MACALL K. CAMPBELL
  • DANIEL L. BABER

Assignees

  • CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL

Dates

Publication Date
20260310
Application Date
20200414
Priority Date
20190426

Claims (15)

  1. 1. Staple retainer (260) for use with a surgical staple cartridge unit, comprising: (a) a body (300) having a first body-facing side (302) and a second body-facing side (304), wherein the body (300) is configured to be positioned within a defined opening between an anvil and a platform (164) of the staple cartridge unit such that the first body-facing side (302) faces the anvil and the second body-facing side (304) faces the platform (164), wherein the second body-facing side (304) is configured to retain staples within holes formed in the platform (164); (b) a first protrusion (318) disposed on the first body-facing side (302), wherein the first protrusion (318) is configured to contact the anvil at a first location; (c) a second protrusion (320) disposed on the first body-facing side (302), wherein the second protrusion (320) is configured to contact the anvil at a second location spaced from the first location, characterized in that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are configured to deflect resiliently towards the second body-facing side (304) in response to the staple retainer (260) being positioned within the opening of the staple cartridge unit, wherein the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are configured to cooperate with the second body-facing side (304) to maintain a maximum opening distance between the anvil and the platform (164), wherein the maximum opening distance is a distance between the anvil and the platform (164) in an open state.
  2. 2. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 1, characterized in that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are spaced along a length of the body (300).
  3. 3. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it further comprises a resiliently deflectable bar (316) coupled to the first body-facing side (302), wherein the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are disposed on the bar (316).
  4. 4. Clamp retainer (260), according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the clamp retainer (260) is configured to contact the anvil along a contact plane, wherein the first and second protrusions (318, 320) cooperate to define the contact plane.
  5. 5. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are configured to orient the anvil so that the contact plane is parallel to the second side facing the body (304) and the platform (164).
  6. 6. Staple retainer (260), according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are configured to resiliently assume a first deflected state relative to the body (300) when the staple retainer (260) is positioned within a first opening of a first staple cartridge unit, wherein the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are configured to resiliently assume a second deflected state relative to the body (300) when the staple retainer (260) is positioned within a second opening of a second staple cartridge unit, wherein the first and second openings differ in size.
  7. 7. Clamp retainer (260), according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first side facing the body (302) includes an elongated hole (314), in which the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are movably arranged within the elongated hole (314).
  8. 8. Staple retainer (260), according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it further comprises a locking member (340) coupled to the body (300), wherein the locking member (340) is movable relative to the body (300) between a locking position and a release position, wherein, in the locking position, the locking member (340) is configured to capture a feature of the staple cartridge unit and thus restrain the staple retainer (260) relative to the staple cartridge unit, wherein, in the release position, the locking member (340) is configured to release the feature and thus allow separation of the staple retainer (260) from the staple cartridge unit.
  9. 9. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 8, characterized in that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) are resiliently deflectable relative to the body (300) independently of the movement of the locking member (340) relative to the body (300).
  10. 10. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 8, characterized in that the locking member (340) is resiliently propelled towards the locking position.
  11. 11. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 8, characterized in that a first end of the locking member (340) is fixed with respect to the body (300), wherein a second end of the locking member (340) is translatable with respect to the body (300) between the locking position and the release position.
  12. 12. Clamp retainer (260), according to claim 8, characterized in that the locking member (340) includes a claw (342), wherein the claw (342) is translatable relative to the body (300) between the locking position and the release position.
  13. 13. Staple retainer (260), according to claim 12, characterized in that the body (300) includes a slot (348) configured to receive the staple cartridge unit feature when the staple retainer (260) is positioned within the opening of the staple cartridge unit, wherein the claw (342) is configured to releaseably capture the feature when the feature is disposed within the slot (348).
  14. 14. Staple cartridge unit configured for use with a surgical stapler, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a cartridge housing having a platform (164) that includes a plurality of holes; (b) a plurality of staples arranged within the holes; (c) an anvil having a plurality of staple-forming pockets, wherein the anvil and the platform (164) define an opening between them; and (d) the staple retainer (260) as defined in claim 1, wherein the staple retainer (260) is configured to be removablely positioned within the opening, such that the first and second protrusions (318, 320) on the first body-facing side (302) contact the anvil and the second body-facing side (304) contact the platform (164).
  15. 15. Surgical stapler, characterized in that it comprises: (a) a body assembly (300); (b) a drive shaft assembly extending distally from the body assembly (300); and (c) an end effector at a distal end of the drive shaft assembly, wherein the end effector comprises: (i) a support structure, and (ii) the staple cartridge unit as defined in claim 14, mounted in a removable manner within the support structure.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] Some surgical staplers are operable for clamping one or more layers of patient tissue, forming staples through the tissue layers to substantially seal the tissue layers together at the formed staples, and cutting through the stapled tissue layers to form separate ends of operationally sealed tissue. An exemplary stapling instrument includes a pair of elongated, collaborating claw members, each claw member being adapted to be inserted into a patient and positioned relative to the tissue to be stapled. One claw member supports a staple cartridge with at least two laterally spaced rows of staples contained therein, and the other claw member supports an anvil with staple-forming pockets configured to be aligned with the rows of staples in the staple cartridge. In general, the stapling instrument additionally includes one or more pusher bars that are actuatable in relation to the gripper members to drive the staples from the staple cartridge through the clamped tissue between the gripper members and against the anvil for formation, and also to drive a knife member through the clamped tissue and thus cut the tissue simultaneously with or subsequent to stapling. In this way, the stapling instrument aims to form a plurality of laterally spaced rows of deformed staples in the clamped tissue, such rows being either linear and/or arched. The knife blade may cut the tissue along a linear or arched path extending between adjacent rows of staples formed in the clamped tissue. [0002] Merely exemplary surgical staplers are disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,605,272, entitled "Trigger Mechanism for Surgical Instruments," granted February 25, 1997; in U.S. Patent No. 5,697,543, entitled "Linear Stapler with Improved Firing Stroke," granted December 16, 1997; in U.S. Patent No. 6,988,650, entitled "Retaining Pin Lever Advancement Mechanism for a Curved Cutter Stapler," granted January 24, 2006; in U.S. Patent No. 7,134,587, entitled "Knife Retraction Arm for a Curved Cutter Stapler," granted November 14, 2006; in US Patent No. 7,147,139, entitled "Closure Plate Lockout for a Curved Cutter Stapler", granted on December 12, 2006; US Patent No. 7,147,140, entitled "Cartridge Retainer for a Curved Cutter Stapler", granted on December 12, 2006; in US Patent No. 7,204,404, entitled "Slotted Pins Guiding Knife in a Curved Cutter Stapler", granted on April 17, 2007; and in US Patent No. 7,207,472, entitled "Cartridge with Locking Knife for a Curved Cutter Stapler", granted on April 24, 2007; and in U.S. Patent No. 10,045,780, entitled "Method of Applying Staples in Lower Anterior Bowel Resection," granted August 14, 2018. The disclosure of each of the U.S. patents and U.S. patent publications cited above is incorporated herein by reference. [0003] Although various types of surgical stapling instruments and associated components have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor or inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0004] The attached drawings, which are incorporated into and form part of this descriptive report, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description provided above and the detailed description of the embodiments provided below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. [0005] Figure 1A shows a perspective view of an exemplary surgical stapler having a handle assembly, a drive shaft assembly and an end effector, showing a tissue retention pin actuation system in a retracted position and the end effector in an open state; [0006] Figure 1B shows a perspective view of the surgical stapler of Figure 1A, showing the tissue retention pin actuation system in an extended position while the end effector remains in the open state; [0007] Figure 1C shows a perspective view of the surgical stapler of Figure 1A, showing the end effector in a closed state by means of the actuation of a closing system, while the tissue retention pin actuation system remains in the extended position; [0008] Figure 1D shows a perspective view of the surgical stapler of Figure 1A, showing the end effector in a triggered state by means of the actuation of a triggering system to effect the stapling and cutting of the tissue captured by the end effector, while the tissue retention pin actuation system remains in the extended position; [0009] Figure 2 shows a partially disassembled perspective view of the surgical stapler of Figure 1A; [0010] Figure 3 shows a disassembled perspective view of actuatable components of the surgical stapler drive shaft assembly of Figure 1A, including a closing bar of the closing system, a staple bar of the firing system and a cutting bar of the firing system; [0011] Figure 4A shows a side elevation view of the surgical stapler handle assembly of Figure 1A, with several components omitted for clarity, showing the tissue retention pin actuation system in an e