EP-4740876-A2 - SURGICAL STAPLER CARTRIDGE HAVING INTERMEDIATE RAISED TISSUE ENGAGEMENT PROTRUSIONS

Abstract

An apparatus includes a cartridge body, a deck, an elongate slot, a plurality of pockets, and a plurality of engagement protrusions. The plurality of pockets include first and second pockets. The plurality of engagement protrusions extend from the deck and are configured to grip tissue or an adjunct material. The plurality of engagement protrusions include first and second engagement protrusions. The first engagement protrusion is associated with the first pocket. The first engagement protrusion includes a lateral portion extending longitudinally along a lateral side of the first pocket. The first engagement protrusion does not extend along a second lateral side of the first pocket such that the second lateral side opens directly to the deck. The second engagement protrusion is associated with the second pocket. The second engagement protrusion includes a lateral portion extending longitudinally along the second lateral side of the second pocket.

Inventors

• FANELLI, NICHOLAS
• SCOTT, GREGORY G.
• NGUYEN, ANTHONY
• FIEBIG, KEVIN M.
• JENKINS, SCOTT A.
• SHELTON, IV, FREDERICK E.
• WILSON, NICHOLAS A.

Assignees

• Cilag GmbH International

Dates

Publication Date

20260513

Application Date

20240520

Claims (3)

1. An apparatus comprising: (a) a cartridge body; (b) a deck defined by the cartridge body, wherein the deck is configured to compress tissue against an anvil of a surgical stapler; (c) an elongate slot formed in the deck, wherein the elongate slot is configured to slidably receive a knife progressively and longitudinally relative to the deck therethrough; (d) a plurality of pockets formed in the deck, wherein the pockets are configured to house a plurality of staples, wherein the pockets include first and second pockets arranged in a first row, wherein the first row defines a length; (e) a plurality of engagement protrusions extending from the deck, wherein the engagement protrusions are configured to grip tissue or an adjunct material, wherein the engagement protrusions are arranged into at least a first row, wherein each engagement protrusion of the first row of engagement protrusions is associated with a respective pocket of the first row of pockets; and (f) a plurality of interconnections extending from the deck and linking together longitudinally adjacent engagement protrusions of the first row of engagement protrusions, wherein the engagement protrusions of the first row and the interconnections collectively form a continuous non-linear raised cross-sectional area extending from the deck along the length of the first row of pockets, wherein the first row of engagement protrusions extend from the deck a first maximum height, wherein the interconnection extends from the deck a second maximum height, wherein the first maximum height is greater than the second maximum height.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuous non-linear raised cross-sectional area has a non-uniform width.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the continuous non-linear raised cross-sectional area is configured to provide increased stiffness to the first row of engagement protrusions.

Description

PRIORITY This application claims the benefit of U.S. Pat. App. No. 63/467,622, entitled "Surgical Stapler Cartridge Having Intermediate Raised Tissue Engagement Protrusions," filed May 19, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND In some settings, endoscopic surgical instruments may be preferred over traditional open surgical devices since a smaller incision may reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications. Consequently, some endoscopic surgical instruments may be suitable for placement of a distal end effector at a desired surgical site through the cannula of a trocar. These distal end effectors may engage tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect (e.g., endocutter, grasper, cutter, stapler, clip applier, access device, drug/gene therapy delivery device, and energy delivery device using ultrasound, RF, laser, etc.). Endoscopic surgical instruments may include a shaft between the end effector and a handle portion or other type of body portion, which is manipulated by the clinician or robotic operator. Such a shaft may enable insertion to a desired depth and rotation about the longitudinal axis of the shaft, thereby facilitating positioning of the end effector within the patient. Positioning of an end effector may be further facilitated through inclusion of one or more articulation joints or features, enabling the end effector to be selectively articulated or otherwise deflected relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft. Examples of endoscopic surgical instruments include surgical staplers. Some such staplers are operable to clamp down on layers of tissue, cut through the clamped layers of tissue, and drive staples through the layers of tissue to substantially seal the severed layers of tissue together near the severed ends of the tissue layers. Such endoscopic surgical staplers may also be used in open procedures and/or other non-endoscopic procedures. By way of example only, a surgical stapler may be inserted through a thoracotomy and thereby between a patient's ribs to reach one or more organs in a thoracic surgical procedure that does not use a trocar as a conduit for the stapler. Such procedures may include the use of the stapler to sever and close a vessel leading to an organ, such as a lung. For instance, the vessels leading to an organ may be severed and closed by a stapler before removal of the organ from the thoracic cavity. Of course, surgical staplers may be used in various other settings and procedures. The stapling assembly (e.g., a staple cartridge) of a surgical stapler may include raised features that extend upwardly from a deck thereof for enhancing the gripping of tissue by the stapling assembly when the end effector is closed, and/or for guiding the legs of the staples as the legs exit the respective staple openings during deployment of the staples. For example, such raised features may extend upwardly from the deck at or near proximal and distal ends of each cartridge pocket. In some instances, it may also be desirable to adhere an adjunct material, such as a buttress, to the stapling assembly for deployment with the staples to reinforce the mechanical fastening of tissue provided by the deployed staples. Typically, such adjunct material is adhered directly to the deck via an adhesive material. While various kinds of surgical staplers and associated components have been made and used, it is believed that no one prior to the inventor(s) has made or used the invention described in the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate examples of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the examples given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. FIG. 1 depicts a perspective view of an example of a surgical stapler;FIG. 2 depicts a perspective view of an end effector of the surgical stapler of FIG. 1, shown in an open state;FIG. 3 depicts an exploded perspective view of the end effector of FIG. 2;FIG. 4A depicts a side cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 2, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing a firing beam and sled in a proximal unfired position;FIG. 4B depicts a side cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 2, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2, showing the firing beam and sled in a distal fired position;FIG. 5 depicts an end cross-sectional view of the end effector of FIG. 2, taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 and omitting an upper anvil jaw, showing further details of a distal knife portion of the firing beam and the sled;FIG. 6 depicts a perspective view of the end effector of FIG. 2, shown after having been fired once on a first section of tissue and being positioned to clamp and fire on a second section on tissue;FIG. 7 depicts a perspective view of another ex