Abstract: Inserts and features to reduce or prevent spline crash in surgical staplers and/or to minimize damage resulting from spline crash in surgical staplers. An insert for a surgical stapler includes a body and spline covers. The body is configured to fit within a bore of a shell assembly and the spline covers extend inward from the body. Each of the spline covers are sized and dimensioned to cap a distal portion of splines of the shell assembly. A shell assembly for a surgical stapler includes shell splines that are disposed on an inner wall of an inner housing portion that defines a bore. The shell splines include a lead spline that has a leading end positioned distal of a leading end of each of the other shell splines.

Abstract: Inserts and features to reduce or prevent spline crash in surgical staplers and/or to minimize damage resulting from spline crash in surgical staplers. An insert for a surgical stapler includes a body and spline covers. The body is configured to fit within a bore of a shell assembly and the spline covers extend inward from the body. Each of the spline covers are sized and dimensioned to cap a distal portion of splines of the shell assembly. A shell assembly for a surgical stapler includes shell splines that are disposed on an inner wall of an inner housing portion that defines a bore. The shell splines include a lead spline that has a leading end positioned distal of a leading end of each of the other shell splines.

Abstract: Inserts and features to reduce or prevent spline crash in surgical staplers and/or to minimize damage resulting from spline crash in surgical staplers. An insert for a surgical stapler includes a body and spline covers. The body is configured to fit within a bore of a shell assembly and the spline covers extend inward from the body. Each of the spline covers are sized and dimensioned to cap a distal portion of splines of the shell assembly. A shell assembly for a surgical stapler includes shell splines that are disposed on an inner wall of an inner housing portion that defines a bore. The shell splines include a lead spline that has a leading end positioned distal of a leading end of each of the other shell splines.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes an anvil assembly having a center rod and an anvil head that is pivotally coupled to the center rod. The anvil head supports a cut ring assembly that is movable between a pre-fired or retracted position in which the cut ring is positioned to retain the anvil head in an operative position and an advanced position in which the cut ring assembly is positioned to allow movement of the anvil head to a tilted position. The anvil assembly also includes at least one support member that is movable from a pre-fired position extending into the anvil head to an advanced position extending from the distal end of the anvil head to allow the cut ring assembly to move from the first position to the second position. The at least one support member can be returned to the pre-fired position after the stapling device is fired and the anvil head has tilted to reset the anvil head to the operative position.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an anvil assembly and a staple cartridge, the anvil assembly is movable in relation to the staple cartridge between spaced and clamped positions. The anvil assembly includes a housing defining a recess and a mesh material positioned within the recess. The staple cartridge includes a body defining a plurality of staple receiving slots. Each of the staple receiving slots supports a staple. The staple receiving slots are aligned with the recess when the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge are in the clamped position such that the plurality of staples are ejected and penetrate into the mesh material when the tool assembly is fired. Each of the plurality of staples includes a backspan and a leg extending from each end of the backspan.

Abstract: A tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly, a shell, and an anvil assembly. The shell houses the cartridge assembly and defines a passage. The anvil assembly includes an anvil and a center rod extending from the anvil. The center rod defines a longitudinal rod axis and includes an alignment portion that is sized to pass through the passage. The alignment portion includes first and second splines that each extend in a direction parallel to the rod axis. The first spline has a first leading portion and the second spline has a second leading portion. The first leading portion is positioned along the rod axis proximal of the second leading portion.

Abstract: A surgical staple includes first and second legs that are interconnected by a backspan. Each of the first and second legs defines a longitudinal leg axis and extends from the backspan along the leg axis to a tip. The tip is sharpened such that the tip is symmetrical about a longitudinal leg plane that includes the leg axis. In addition, a method of manufacturing a surgical staple includes sharpening a tip of a leg of the surgical staple such that the tip is symmetrical about a longitudinal leg axis that includes a longitudinal leg axis of the leg.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes an anvil assembly having a center rod and an anvil head that is pivotally coupled to the center rod. The anvil head supports a cut ring assembly that is movable between a pre-fired or retracted position in which the cut ring is positioned to retain the anvil head in an operative position and an advanced position in which the cut ring assembly is positioned to allow movement of the anvil head to a tilted position. The anvil assembly also includes at least one support member that is movable from a pre-fired position extending into the anvil head to an advanced position extending from the distal end of the anvil head to allow the cut ring assembly to move from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly having an anvil assembly and a staple cartridge, the anvil assembly is movable in relation to the staple cartridge between spaced and clamped positions. The anvil assembly includes a housing defining a recess and a mesh material positioned within the recess. The staple cartridge includes a body defining a plurality of staple receiving slots. Each of the staple receiving slots supports a staple. The staple receiving slots are aligned with the recess when the anvil assembly and the staple cartridge are in the clamped position such that the plurality of staples are ejected and penetrate into the mesh material when the tool assembly is fired. Each of the plurality of staples includes a backspan and a leg extending from each end of the backspan.