Patent · US Expired

Surgical stapling instrument incorporating an E-beam firing mechanism

US6978921B2 · kind B2 · utility

2,869Cited by
22References
17Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 20, 2003
Grant dateDec 27, 2005
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 20, 2023

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2017/07285
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A surgical severing and stapling instrument clamps, suitable for laparoscopic and endoscopic clinical procedures, clamps tissue within an end effector of an elongate channel pivotally opposed by an anvil. An E-beam firing bar moves distally through the clamped end effector to sever tissue and to drive staples on each side of the cut. The E-beam firing bar affirmatively spaces the spaces the anvil from the elongate channel to assure properly formed closed staples, especially when an amount of tissue is clamped that is inadequate to space the end effector. In particular, an upper pin of the firing bar longitudinally moves through an anvil slot and a channel clot is captured between a lower cap and a middle pin of the firing bar to assure a minimum spacing.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.