Disposable loading unit for surgical stapler
A disposable loading unit is disclosed for use in conjunction with a surgical stapling apparatus configured to sequentially apply a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue. The apparatus includes an actuation assembly for effectuating a fastener applying operation, and a housing for receiving and releasably supporting the disposable loading unit. The disposable loading unit includes a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots defined therein each supporting a respective surgical fastener, a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway, and an actuator supported within the staple cartridge body and configured to engage the actuation assembly of the apparatus and translate through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots. U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 4,273,111 June 1981 Tsukaya. 4,283,165 August 1981 Vertut. 4,290,421 September 1981 Siegmund. 4,347,837 September 1982 Hosono. 4,351,323 September 1982 Ouchi et al.. 4,429,695 February 1984 Green. 4,432,349 February 1984 Oshiro. 4,473,077 September 1984 Noiles et al.. 4,483,326 November 1984 Yamaka et al.. 4,494,417 January 1985 Larson et al.. 4,503,842 March 1985 Takayama. 4,557,254 December 1985 Yamaguchi. 4,593,679 June 1986 Collins. 4,606,343 August 1986 Conta et al.. 4,608,981 September 1986 Rothfuss et al.. 4,688,555 August 1987 Wardle. 4,700,693 October 1987 Lia et al.. 4,718,407 January 1988 Chikama. 4,721,099 January 1988 Chikama. 4,726,355 February 1988 Okada. 4,753,223 June 1988 Bremer. 4,754,909 July 1988 Barker et al.. 4,762,118 August 1988 Lia et al.. 4,762,119 August 1988 Allred, III et al.. 4,770,185 September 1988 Silverstein et al.. 4,773,395 September 1988 Suzuki et al.. 4,779,612 October 1988 Kishi. 4,787,369 November 1988 Allred, III et al.. 4,790,294 December 1988 Allred, III et al.. 4,794,912 January 1989 Lia. 4,796,607 January 1989 Allred, III et al.. 4,805,596 February 1989 Hatori. 4,815,911 March 1989 Bengtson et al.. 4,834,069 May 1989 Umeda. 4,873,965 October 1989 Danieli. 4,905,666 March 1990 Fukuda. 4,911,148 March 1990 Sosonowski et al.. 4,919,112 April 1990 Siegmund. 4,947,827 August 1990 Opie et al.. 4,955,959 September 1990 Thompkins et al.. 4,977,790 December 1990 Nishi et al.. 4,996,974 March 1991 Ciarlei. 5,002,041 March 1991 Chikama. 5,005,558 April 1991 Aomori. 5,007,406 April 1991 Takahasi et al.. 5,014,515 May 1991 Krauter. 5,014,685 May 1991 Takahashi. 5,025,804 June 1991 Kondo. 5,031,814 July 1991 Tompkins et al.. 5,042,707 August 1991 Taheri. 5,065,929 November 1991 Schulze et al.. 5,108,819 April 1992 Wollschager et al.. 5,125,395 June 1992 Adair. 5,143,475 September 1992 Chikama. 5,156,315 October 1992 Green et al.. 5,158,086 October 1992 Brown et al.. 5,167,221 December 1992 Chikama. 5,168,864 December 1992 Shockey. 5,174,276 December 1992 Crockard. 5,174,277 December 1992 Matsumaru. 5,176,126 January 1993 Chikama. 5,178,129 January 1993 Chikama. 5,179,935 January 1993 Miyagi. 5,195,968 March 1993 Lundquist et al.. 5,307,976 May 1994 Olson et al.. 5,312,023 May 1994 Green et al.. 5,318,221 June 1994 Green et al.. 5,326,013 July 1994 Green et al.. 5,332,142 July 1994 Robinson et al.. 5,391,180 February 1995 Tovey et al.. 5,394,864 March 1995 Kobayashi et al.. 5,411,519 May 1995 Tovey et al.. 5,417,203 May 1995 Tovey et al.. 5,447,265 September 1995 Vidol et al.. 5,478,003 December 1995 Green et al.. 5,485,947 January 1996 Olson et al.. 5,489,058 February 1996 Plyley et al.. 5,632,432 May 1997 Schulze et al.. 227/180.1 B1 5,040,715 August 1991 Green et al..
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This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/501,197 filed Jul. 11, 1995, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,644.
BACKGROUND1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a disposable loading unit for a surgical stapler, and more particularly, to a disposable loading unit for an apparatus configured to sequentially apply a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue and optionally incise the fastened tissue.
2. Background of Related Art
Surgical devices wherein tissue is first grasped or clamped between opposing jaw structure and then joined by surgical fasteners are well known in the art. In some instruments a knife is provided to cut the tissue which has been joined by the fasteners. The fasteners are typically in the form of surgical staples but two part polymeric fasteners can also be utilized.
Instruments for this purpose can include two elongated members which are respectively used to capture or clamp tissue. Typically, one of the members carries a staple cartridge which houses a plurality of staples arranged in at least two lateral rows while the other member has an anvil that defines a surface for forming the staple legs as the staples are driven from the staple cartridge. Generally, the stapling operation is effected by cam bars that travel longitudinally through the staple cartridge, with the cam bars acting upon staple pushers to sequentially eject the staples from the staple cartridge. A knife can travel between the staple rows to longitudinally cut and/or open the stapled tissue between the rows of staples. Such instruments are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 3,079,606 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,490,675.
A later stapler disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,591 applies a double row of staples on each side of the incision. This is accomplished by providing a disposable loading unit in which a cam member moves through an elongate guide path between two sets of staggered staple carrying grooves. Staple drive members are located within the grooves and are positioned in such a manner so as to be contacted by the longitudinally moving cam to effect ejection of the staples. Other examples of such staplers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,429,695 and 5,065,929.
Each of the instruments described above were designed for use in conventional surgical procedures wherein surgeons have direct manual access to the operative site. However, in endoscopic or laproscopic procedures, surgery is performed through a small incision or through a narrow cannula inserted through small entrance wounds in the skin. In order to address the specific needs of endoscopic and/or laparoscopic surgical procedures, endoscopic surgical stapling devices have been developed and are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. B5,040,715 (Green, et al.); 5,307,976 (Olson, et al.); 5,312,023 (Green, et al.); 5,318,221 (Green, et al.); 5,326,013 (Green, et al.); and 5,332,142 (Robinson et al.).
U.S. Surgical, the assignee of the present application, has manufactured and marketed endoscopic stapling instruments, such as the Multifire ENDO GIA* 30 and Multifire ENDO GIA* 60 instruments, for several years. These instruments have provided significant clinical benefits. Nonetheless, improvements are possible, for example, by reducing the cost and complexity of manufacture and/or reducing the amount of material discarded at the conclusion of a surgical procedure. In making any such improvements, it would be highly desirable not to sacrifice any of the important benefits of the MULTIFIRE ENDO GIA* 30 and 60 instruments as compared to other commercially available products, e.g., the endoscopic stapling instruments manufactured and marketed by Ethicon, Inc. For example, any improvement should advantageously provide a fresh knife blade for each firing of the instrument and ensure that the disposable loading unit is securely retained in the stapling instrument unless and until the operating team chooses to remove it. These advantages have historically been found in the U.S. Surgical instruments, but not in the Ethicon instruments.
Therefore, a need exists for a disposable loading unit that exhibits all of the benefits of the present assignee's commercially available instruments while also reducing the cost and complexity of manufacture and/or reducing the amount of material discarded at the conclusion of a surgical procedure.
SUMMARYThe subject application is directed to a disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus configured to sequentially apply a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue during a surgical procedure. The apparatus with which the disposable loading unit is associated includes an actuation assembly for effectuating a fastener applying operation, and a housing mountable to a surgical stapling instrument for receiving and detachably supporting the disposable loading unit. The housing may be removably mounted to the stapler apparatus.
The disposable loading unit includes a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots defined therein each supporting a respective surgical fastener, a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed within the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway. The disposable loading unit also includes an actuator supported within the staple cartridge body and configured to engage the actuation assembly of the apparatus and translate through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots.
The actuator includes a base portion and at least two upstanding parallel cam plates each preferably defining an angled leading edge for contacting the fastener ejection members. In one embodiment, the leading edge of each cam plate is configured to controllably deform as the actuator translates through the staple cartridge body. Alternatively, each of the cam plates is configured to be reduced in size or mass as the actuator translates through the staple cartridge body. In a further alternative embodiment, the cam plates can be fabricated from a rigid material that does not significantly deform during fastener ejection.
The disposable loading unit can also include an optical cutting member that is configured to translate through the staple cartridge body in association with the actuator to form an incision in the stapled body tissue. In operation, the cutting member intersects the tissue contacting plane during its translation through the staple cartridge body, and is moved out of intersection with the tissue contacting plane at the conclusion of a stapling operation. The cutting member is single use only, thereby ensuring maximum sharpness for each firing.
In a preferred embodiment of the disposable loading unit, structure is associated with the disposable loading unit for releasably engaging the housing to inhibit movement of the disposable loading unit within the housing during a fastener applying operation. Structure associated with the disposable loading unit for releasably engaging the housing includes a pair of elongate struts dimensioned and configured to engage the opposed side walls of the housing to inhibit lateral movement of the disposable loading unit. A pair of opposed detents which are dimensioned and configured to engage a pair of corresponding notches defined in the opposed side walls of the housing can also be provided to inhibit longitudinal movement of the disposable loading unit. Furthermore, a pair of opposed outwardly extending protuberances which are dimensioned and configured to engage a pair of corresponding indentations defined in the opposed side walls of the housing can be provided to inhibit vertical movement of the disposable loading unit. The disposable loading unit can also include a pair of spaced apart wings which extend from a proximal end of the staple cartridge body and include angled guide surfaces for guiding the disposable loading unit into the housing during assembly.
In another preferred embodiment of the disposable loading unit, at least one camming surface is provided for facilitating engagement of the actuator and the actuation assembly of the surgical apparatus to enable the performance of a fastener applying operation. Preferably, a first cam wing depends from a proximal end of the staple cartridge body and defines a first angled cam surface, and a second cam wing depends from a proximal end of the actuator and defines a second angled cam surface. When the first and second angled cam surfaces are aligned, the actuation assembly of the stapler can engage the actuator and drive it through the staple cartridge body. However, when the angled cam surfaces are spaced from one another, i.e. when the actuator is at the distal end of the staple cartridge body, the actuation assembly will be unable to engage the actuator and the apparatus will be rendered inoperative until the used disposable loading unit is removed from the apparatus.
In another preferred embodiment, structure is provided on the fastener actuator and the staple cartridge body for retaining the actuator at the distal end of the staple cartridge body after the fasteners have been fired.
Advantageously, the disposable loading unit disclosed herein provides a replaceable unit which preserves the advantage of a disposable loading unit over a replaceable staple cartridge; namely, providing new cam plates and/or knife with each disposable loading unit.
Further features of the surgical apparatus will become more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSVarious preferred embodiments of the disposable loading unit of the subject application will be described hereinbelow with reference to the drawings wherein:
In the drawings and in the description which follows, the term “proximal”, as is traditional, will refer to the end of the stapling apparatus which is closed to the operator, while the term “distal” will refer to the end of the apparatus which is furthest from the operator.
The stapling apparatus with which the disposable loading unit of the present disclosure is associated shall be discussed in terms of both conventional and endoscopic procedures. However, use herein of terms such as “endoscopic”, “endoscopically”, and “endoscopic portion”, among others, should not be construed to limit the present apparatus for use only in an endoscopic environment. To the contrary, it is believed that the apparatus and disposable loading unit described herein may find use in procedures wherein access is limited to a small incision including but not limited to arthroscopic and/or laparoscopic procedures, and in other non-endoscopic procedures.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals identify similar structural elements of the subject apparatus, there is illustrated in
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Following a fastener applying procedure illustrated in
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A pair of opposed detents 234a (not shown) and 234b are formed adjacent the distal end of the staple cartridge 230 for engaging a pair of corresponding notches 244a and 244b formed in the opposed side walls 242a and 242b of housing 210. The notches and the detents are configured to lockingly engage with each other and inhibit longitudinal or distal-to-proximal movement of the disposable loading unit within housing 210. In addition, a pair of outwardly depending protuberances 236a (not shown) and 236b are formed on staple cartridge 230 for engaging a pair of corresponding depressions 246a and 246b formed in the opposed side walls 242a and 242b of housing 210. The protuberances and depressions are configured to inhibit vertical or elevational movement of the disposable loading unit within housing 210.
Cartridge body 230 further includes a pair of proximally extending guide wings 238a and 238b which serve to guide staple cartridge body 230 into housing 210 during assembly. More particularly, guide wings 238a and 238b have respective angled guide surfaces which are dimensioned and configured to cause the proximal end of staple cartridge body 230 to slide relative to the floor 242c of housing 210 as the staple cartridge body is engaged beneath a pair of inwardly extending housing projections 248a and 248b (FIG. 22).
Referring now to
As used in the claims, “securing means” is intended to refer to ridges 136 and teeth 138 formed on actuator 110 and pathway 132, respectively, and equivalents thereof.
As used in the claims, “camming means” is intended to refer to the camming wings of the actuator and equivalents thereof.
Although the foregoing description contains many specifics with respect to preferred embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art that changes and modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject invention as defined by the appended claims. By way of example only, it is contemplated that the housing can be permanently mounted to the stapling apparatus with the disposable loading unit removably mounted thereto. Alternatively, the disposable loading unit can further include the housing, such that the housing is removably mounted to the stapling apparatus. It also is contemplated that greater or fewer cam plates can be included on the actuator.
Claims
1. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
- a) a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots defined therein, each supporting a respective surgical fastener;
- b) a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway;
- c) an actuator at least partially disposed within the staple cartridge body and configured to be translated through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots, the actuator including a base portion defining a plane and having at least two upstanding parallel cam plates each defining an angled leading edge for contacting the fastener ejection members;
- d) a cutting member configured to translate through the staple cartridge body, the cutting member having a blade and a blade support, the blade support including a camming surface spaced from the blade configured to interact with an abutment surface defined within a distal end portion of the staple cartridge body, wherein the staple cartridge body includes a planar tissue contacting surface through which extends a linear slot to accommodate translation of the cutting member, the planar tissue contacting surface defining a tissue contacting plane, the cutting member intersecting the tissue contacting plane during the translation thereof, and moving out of intersection with the tissue contacting plane when the camming surface of the cutting member contacts the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body.
2. A disposable loading unit according to claim 1, wherein the cutting member is pivotably supported at least partially within the staple cartridge body.
3. A disposable loading unit according to claim 2, wherein the cutting member is pivotably supported by the actuator about a pivot axis located distally of the blade.
4. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
- a) a staple cartridge body having a longitudinal pathway extending therethrough and at least two rows of spaced apart retention slots defined therein, each slot supporting a respective surgical fastener, the staple cartridge body defining a planar tissue contacting surface having a linear slot extending therethrough, the staple cartridge body further defining an abutment surface formed near a distal end thereof;
- b) a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway;
- c) an actuator at least partially disposed within the staple cartridge body, the actuator having: i) a base portion; and ii) at least two upstanding parallel cam plates extending from a base portion, each of the at least two cam plates defining an angled leading edge, such that the angled leading edges are longitudinally aligned with the at least two rows of spaced apart retention slots so as to contact the fastener ejection members upon translational movement of the actuator through the longitudinal pathway and to thereby sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots; and
- d) a cutting member pivotably mounted with respect to the actuator and translatably slidable with the actuator in the linear slot of the staple cartridge body, the cutting member having a blade and a flange including an upper surface which interacts with the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body, the flange being spaced distally of the blade, the cutting member being pivotable from a first position intersecting a tissue contacting plane defined by the planar tissue cutting surface, to a second position out of intersection with the tissue contacting plane, the cutting member being pivotable to the second position when the camming surface of the cutting member contacts the abutment surface of the staple cartridge body.
5. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
- a staple cartridge body defining a longitudinal pathway and a plurality of spaced apart retention slots, each retention slot being dimensioned to receive a surgical fastener;
- a plurality of fastener ejection members disposed adjacent the plurality of spaced apart retention slots and communicating with the longitudinal pathway;
- an actuator at least partially disposed within the staple cartridge body and configured to be translated through the longitudinal pathway to contact the fastener ejection members and sequentially eject the surgical fasteners from their respective retention slots, the actuator including a base portion defining a plane and having at least two upstanding parallel cam plates each defining an angled leading edge for contacting the fastener ejection members;
- a cutting member including a blade and a blade carrier, the cutting member being configured to translate through the staple cartridge body, the blade carrier including a flange configured to engage the base portion of the actuator;
- wherein the staple cartridge body includes a planar tissue contacting surface through which extends a linear slot to accommodate translation of the cutting member, the planar tissue contacting surface defining a tissue contacting plane, the cutting member being movable from a first position intersecting the tissue contacting plane to a second position located beneath the tissue contacting plane.
6. A disposable loading unit according to claim 5, wherein the at least two upstanding parallel cam plates includes four upstanding parallel cam plates.
7. A disposable loading unit according to claim 6, wherein two of the four upstanding parallel cam plates are positioned on each side of the linear slot.
8. A disposable loading unit according to claim 5, wherein the blade is located proximally of the angled leading edge of each of the at least two upstanding parallel cam plates.
9. A disposable loading unit for a surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
- a staple cartridge body having a planar tissue contacting surface defining a tissue contacting plane, said body defining a longitudinal pathway therethrough and a linear slot traversing said planar tissue contacting surface, said body further defining a plurality of fastener retention slots on both sides of said linear slot, said fastener retention slots slidably supporting a respective surgical fastener and at least a portion of a surgical fastener ejection member;
- an actuator having a beam portion and at least two cam plates having distal camming surfaces, said actuator configured to move in at least a distal direction through said longitudinal pathway to sequentially engage said cam plates with a portion of said surgical fastener ejection members to drive said surgical fasteners transversely with respect to said longitudinal pathway;
- a cutting member having a blade support and a blade, the blade support of said cutting member being connected to said beam portion of said actuator in a manner that allows said blade to translate with said actuator from adjacent a proximal end of said linear slot to adjacent a distal end of said linear slot to bisect said tissue contacting plane, said blade support including a proximally projecting flange which contacts the actuator, wherein when the actuator moves distally through said longitudinal pathway, the blade support, in cooperation with the beam portion of the actuator, maintains the blase in a cutting position.
10. A disposable loading unit according to claim 9, wherein said blade support is positioned proximal to said distal camming surfaces of said cam plates.
11. A disposable loading unit according to claim 9, wherein said longitudinal pathway defined in said staple cartridge body is configured to allow said blade to be lowered substantially out of said tissue contacting plane adjacent a distal portion of said linear slot.
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Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 15, 2001
Date of Patent: Mar 1, 2005
Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Norwalk, CT)
Inventors: Henry Bolanos (Norwalk, CT), Alli Alim (Norwalk, CT), Richard C. McClure (Placentia, CA), Keith L. Milliman (Bethel, CT)
Primary Examiner: Scott A. Smith
Application Number: 09/882,131