US5478003A — Surgical apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 239 words

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners comprising: a) a frame portion; b) an elongated body portion extending distally from said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; c) a fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end portion of said body portion, said fastener applying assembly including: i) a base portion pivotably connected to said body portion and defining a second longitudinal axis extending therethrough; ii) a cartridge assembly mounted to said base portion, said cartridge assembly defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and having a tissue engaging surface thereon, said cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein; and iii) an anvil member mounted to said base portion and having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member and said cartridge assembly being relatively movable between an open position wherein said fastener forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said fastener forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said tissue engaging surface; d) means associated with said fastener applying assembly and actuable from said frame portion for effecting the relative movement of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly between said open and closed positions; and e) means movable through said cartridge assembly from said distal end portion thereof toward said proximal end portion thereof and actuable from said frame portion for ejecting said plurality of surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 239 words

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners comprising: a) a frame portion; b) an elongated body portion extending distally from said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; c) a fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end portion of said body portion, said fastener applying assembly including: i) a base portion pivotably connected to said body portion and defining a second longitudinal axis extending therethrough; ii) a cartridge assembly mounted to said base portion, said cartridge assembly defining a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, and having a tissue engaging surface thereon, said cartridge assembly having a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein; and iii) an anvil member mounted to said base portion and having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member and said cartridge assembly being relatively movable between an open position wherein said fastener forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said fastener forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said tissue engaging surface; d) means associated with said fastener applying assembly and actuable from said frame portion for effecting the relative movement of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly between said open and closed positions; and e) means movable through said cartridge assembly from said distal end portion thereof toward said proximal end portion thereof and actuable from said frame portion for ejecting said plurality of surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 59 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for effecting the relative movement of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly comprises a rotary cam member pivotably mounted to at least one of said anvil member and said cartridge member and connected to an actuation mechanism which extends through said body portion to said frame portion.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 38 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said rotary cam member defines a non-linear cam slot configured to cooperate with a cam pin mounted in at least one of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 41 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said means for ejecting surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly comprises a camming sled including a base portion and a plurality of upstanding spaced apart cam plates depending from said base portion.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 43 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said means for sequentially ejecting surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly further comprises a drive assembly including means disposed at a distal end thereof for releasably engaging said base portion of said camming sled.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 4, wherein said fastener applying assembly further comprises a knife member configured for movement through said cartridge assembly in conjunction with said camming sled.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 46 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said knife member is frangibly mounted adjacent said distal end portion of said cartridge assembly and includes means for engaging said camming sled as said camming sled moves towards said proximal end portion of said cartridge assembly.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pneumatic actuation system disposed within said frame portion and operatively connected to said means for sequentially ejecting surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 69 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 8, wherein said pneumatic actuation system includes a container of compressed gas, a valve member operatively associated with said container, a compression chamber defined in said frame portion and communicating with said container, and a piston movable through said compression chamber from a distal end thereof toward a proximal end thereof in response to a release of compressed gas from said container.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 39 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 9, wherein said container of compressed gas has a fixed longitudinal orientation with respect to said frame portion and said compression chamber has an elliptical cross-section and each define respective axial centerlines.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 36 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the axial centerline of said container of compressed gas and the axial centerline of said compression chamber are disposed at an angle with respect to one another.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein the axial centerline of said container of compressed gas and the axial centerline of said compression chamber are in parallel alignment with one another.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 25 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 8, further comprising counter means for indicating the number of times said pneumatic actuation system may be operated.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 26 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 13, wherein said counter means comprises a ratchet assembly including a linear rack member and a reciprocating ratchet shaft.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 33 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 13, further comprising disabling means operatively associated with said counter means for rendering said surgical apparatus inoperative after the performance of a predetermined number of operations.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 27 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said disabling means comprises a linkage mechanism operatively associated with said ratchet shaft and said pneumatic actuation system.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 8, further comprising means for inhibiting operation of said pneumatic actuation system prior to said anvil member and said cartridge assembly being moved into said closed position.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 17, wherein said inhibiting means comprises a spring biased blocking member disposed in said frame portion for selectively interfering with an actuation trigger.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein said cartridge assembly includes a cartridge housing and a cartridge member removable from said cartridge housing, said cartridge member containing said plurality of surgical fasteners.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 41 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for articulating said fastener applying assembly between a first position substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a second position disposed at an angle to said first longitudinal axis.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 46 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 20, wherein said means for articulating said fastener applying assembly comprises a reciprocating shaft extending through said body portion to said base portion and a rotatable drive mechanism operatively associated with said reciprocating shaft for effecting longitudinal movement thereof.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 27 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for rotating said faster applying assembly about said first longitudinal axis relative to said frame portion.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 22, wherein said means for rotating said faster applying assembly comprises a rotatable drive assembly extending through said body portion to said base portion.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 58 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 23, wherein said rotatable drive assembly includes a first pinon gear set disposed adjacent a proximal end portion of said body portion and a second pinon gear set adjacent a distal end portion of said body portion, said first and second pinion gear sets being interconnected by an elongated transition shaft.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 30 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 1, further comprising means for rotating said cartridge assembly and said anvil member about said second longitudinal axis relative to said base portion.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 342 words

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners comprising: a) a frame portion defining an elongated barrel section and a stationary hand grip section which depends angularly from said barrel section; b) a body portion extending distally from said barrel section of said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; c) a fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end portion of said body portion, said fastener applying assembly including: i) a base portion pivotably connected to said body portion and defining a second longitudinal axis extending therethrough; ii) a cartridge assembly mounted to said base portion and including a replaceable cartridge having a tissue engaging surface thereon and a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein; and iii) an anvil member mounted to said base portion and having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member and said cartridge assembly being relatively movable between an open position wherein said fastener forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said fastener forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said tissue engaging surface; d) approximation means operatively associated with said fastener applying assembly and actuable from said frame portion for effecting the relative movement of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly between said open and closed positions; e) fastener ejection means movable through said cartridge assembly and actuable from said frame portion for sequentially ejecting said plurality of surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly; e) a pneumatic actuation system disposed within said frame portion and operatively associated with said means for sequentially ejecting surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly; f) means for articulating said fastener applying assembly between a first position substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a second position disposed at an angle to said first longitudinal axis; g) means for rotating said fastener applying assembly about said first longitudinal axis relative to said frame portion; and h) means for rotating said cartridge assembly and said anvil member about said second longitudinal axis relative to said base portion of said fastener applying assembly.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 342 words

A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners comprising: a) a frame portion defining an elongated barrel section and a stationary hand grip section which depends angularly from said barrel section; b) a body portion extending distally from said barrel section of said frame portion and defining a first longitudinal axis; c) a fastener applying assembly associated with a distal end portion of said body portion, said fastener applying assembly including: i) a base portion pivotably connected to said body portion and defining a second longitudinal axis extending therethrough; ii) a cartridge assembly mounted to said base portion and including a replaceable cartridge having a tissue engaging surface thereon and a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein; and iii) an anvil member mounted to said base portion and having a fastener forming surface thereon, said anvil member and said cartridge assembly being relatively movable between an open position wherein said fastener forming surface is spaced from said tissue engaging surface and a closed position wherein said fastener forming surface is in close cooperative alignment with said tissue engaging surface; d) approximation means operatively associated with said fastener applying assembly and actuable from said frame portion for effecting the relative movement of said anvil member and said cartridge assembly between said open and closed positions; e) fastener ejection means movable through said cartridge assembly and actuable from said frame portion for sequentially ejecting said plurality of surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly; e) a pneumatic actuation system disposed within said frame portion and operatively associated with said means for sequentially ejecting surgical fasteners from said cartridge assembly; f) means for articulating said fastener applying assembly between a first position substantially parallel to said first longitudinal axis and a second position disposed at an angle to said first longitudinal axis; g) means for rotating said fastener applying assembly about said first longitudinal axis relative to said frame portion; and h) means for rotating said cartridge assembly and said anvil member about said second longitudinal axis relative to said base portion of said fastener applying assembly.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 76 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said pneumatic actuation system comprises a canister of compressed gas disposed within said angularly depending stationary hand grip section of said frame portion, a valve member disposed adjacent said canister of compressed gas, and a compression chamber defined within said barrel section of said frame portion for housing a piston which is movable through said compression chamber in response to a release of gas from said canister.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 37 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 27, wherein said canister has a fixed longitudinal orientation with respect to said frame portion and said valve member is movable relative to said canister for releasing compressed gas therefrom.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 36 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 28, wherein an actuation trigger is operatively associated with said stationary hand grip section of said frame portion for moving said valve member toward said canister of compressed gas.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 38 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 29, further comprising means operatively associated with said frame portion for selectively inhibiting movement of said actuation trigger while maintaining said actuation trigger in a position wherein access thereto is precluded.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 34 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said frame portion includes a pivoting handle operatively configured for movement toward and away from said stationary hand grip section to actuate said approximation means.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 42 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said fastener ejection means is configured to translate through said cartridge assembly from a distal end portion thereof to a proximal end portion thereof to sequentially eject said plurality of surgical fasteners therefrom.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 35 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein said fastener ejection means includes a camming sled including a base portion and a plurality of upstanding spaced apart cam plates depending from said base portion.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 25 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, further comprising counter means for indicating the number of times said pneumatic actuation system may be operated.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 26 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 34, wherein said counter means comprises a ratchet assembly including a linear rack member and a reciprocating ratchet shaft.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 33 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 35, further comprising disabling means operatively associated with said counter means for rendering said surgical apparatus inoperative after the performance of a predetermined number of operations.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 27 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 36, wherein said disabling means comprises a linkage mechanism operatively associated with said ratchet shaft and said pneumatic actuation system.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 46 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said means for articulating said fastener applying assembly comprises a reciprocating shaft extending through said body portion to said base portion and a rotatable drive mechanism operatively associated with said reciprocating shaft for effecting longitudinal movement thereof.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 40 words

A surgical apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein said means for rotating said cartridge assembly and said anvil member relative to said base portion comprises a rotatable gear driven assembly extending through said body portion to said base portion.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1998-12-25	1999-06-26	1999-12-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2002-12-25	2003-06-26	2003-12-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2006-12-25	2007-06-26	2007-12-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Surgical apparatus

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag