Endoscopic surgical instrument with pivotable and rotatable staple cartridge

Claim 2

A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising: a handle including a staple actuator mechanism; a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle; a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue; said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft; said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section; said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge; a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge; first means formed from a memory metal for articulating said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation, wherein said first means also comprises a means for providing a staple driving force to said staple cartridge to drive staples contained in said staple cartridge.

Claim 3

The stapling instrument of claim 1 which includes: second means for rotating said support shaft about its longitudinal axis.

Claim 4

The stapling instrument of claim 1 wherein said first means comprises a memory metal band having a permanent bend in one end thereof for articulating said staple cartridge as said band is slid with respect to said staple cartridge.

Claim 5

A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising: a handle including a staple actuator mechanism; a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle; a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue; said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft; said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section; said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge; a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge; and wherein said stapling instrument includes means for providing rotational motion of said staple cartridge, comprising torque transfer means rotatably positioned within said support shaft, said torque transfer means being fastened at its distal end to said rotatable staple cartridge via flexible attachment means, said torque transfer means being attached at its proximal end to external torque transfer means.

Claim 6

A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising: a handle including a staple actuator mechanism; a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle; a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue; said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft; said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section; said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge; a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge; and wherein said stapling instrument includes means for providing rotational motion of said staple cartridge, comprising torque transfer means rotatably positioned within said support shaft, said torque transfer means being fastened at its distal end to said rotatable staple cartridge via flexible attachment means, said torque transfer means being attached at its proximal end to external torque transfer means.

Claim 7

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 4, said flexible attachment means comprising flexible cable means adapted for flexing through any said angle of articulation of said staple cartridge and for transferring torque from, and initiated at, said external torque transfer means to said rotatable staple cartridge.

Claim 8

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 5, wherein said flexible cable means is fabricated from material selected from the group consisting of wire, rod, chain, flex shaft, and multi-strand cable.

Claim 9

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 4, wherein said flexible cable means is fastened at its distal end to said rotatable staple cartridge and fastened at its proximal end to a rigid portion of said torque transfer means.

Claim 10

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 7, wherein said rigid portion comprises a rod rotatably disposed within said support shaft.

Claim 11

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 5, wherein said flexible cable is slidably positioned within a flexible conduit.

Claim 12

A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising: a handle including a staple actuator mechanism; a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle; a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue; said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft; said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section; said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge; a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge; wherein said cartridge rotating means is operable from a location proximally of said cartridge for providing rotational motion of said staple cartridge, and comprises torque transfer means rotatably positioned within said support shaft, said torque transfer means being fastened at its distal end to said rotatable staple cartridge via flexible attachment means, said torque transfer means being attached at its proximal end to external torque transfer means, said torque transfer means further comprising staple driver means; means for articulating said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation comprising means for providing pushing and/or pulling forces in a direction generally parallel to said support shaft and for directing said forces around clevis means for pivoting said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation; wherein said means for articulating said staple cartridge comprises an articulation driver means slidably positioned in said support shaft and spaced from said torque transfer means; and further including spacer means for maintaining spacing between said torque transfer means and said articulation driver means.

Claim 13

A surgical stapling instrument for applying one or more surgical staples to tissue, comprising: a handle including a staple actuator mechanism; a tubular support shaft defining a first longitudinal axis and a circumferential cross-section and extending from said handle; a staple cartridge mounted on said support shaft and connected to said staple actuator mechanism for applying one or more staples to the tissue; said staple cartridge being mounted for articulatable movement relative to said support shaft about an axis of articulation, said axis of articulation being transverse to said longitudinal axis of said support shaft; said staple cartridge having a circumferential cross-section no greater than said shaft cross-section; said support shaft being either rotatable about said first longitudinal axis or fixed relative to said handle, said staple cartridge being rotatable relative to said shaft about a second longitudinal axis defined by said staple cartridge; a cartridge rotating means for accommodating rotation of said cartridge relative to said support shaft about said second longitudinal axis of said cartridge; wherein said cartridge rotating means is operable from a location proximally of said cartridge for providing rotational motion of said staple cartridge, and comprises torque transfer means rotatably positioned within said support shaft, said torque transfer means being fastened at its distal end to said rotatable staple cartridge via flexible attachment means, said torque transfer means being attached at its proximal end to external torque transfer means, said torque transfer means further comprising staple driver means; means for articulating said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation comprising means for providing pushing and/or pulling forces in a direction generally parallel to said support shaft and for directing said forces around clevis means for pivoting said staple cartridge about said axis of articulation; wherein said means for articulating said staple cartridge comprises an articulation driver means slidably positioned in said support shaft and spaced from said torque transfer means; and further including spacer means for maintaining spacing between said torque transfer means and said articulation driver means.

Claim 14

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 10, wherein said articulation driver means comprises a rigid section having fastened to its distal end a flexible member, said flexible member providing both sufficient flexibility for bending about said axis of articulation and sufficient stiffness and tensile strength for transferring pushing and pulling forces, respectively, around said clevis means.

Claim 15

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 11, wherein said flexible member comprises a flexible cable.

Claim 16

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 12, wherein said flexible cable is fabricated from material selected form the group consisting of wire, rod, chain, flex shaft, and multi-strand cable.

Claim 17

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 12, wherein said flexible cable is fabricated from material selected from the group consisting of steel, nitinol, nylon, and fiberglass.

Claim 18

The surgical stapling instrument of claim 11, wherein said instrument further includes: a control means mounted externally on said support shaft proximate said handle for transferring motion to said articulation driver means in a longitudinal direction generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of said support shaft.