Patent ID: 11944310
Assignee: CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 11:
12. A surgical instrument comprising:
(a) a stapling assembly including:
(i) a housing extending distally along a central axis,
(ii) a deck surface including an annular array of staple openings configured to receive a plurality of staples, and
(iii) a knife member at least partially disposed within the housing, wherein a distal end of the knife member includes a cutting edge having a first edge portion and a second edge portion that are diametrically opposed about the central axis, wherein the first edge portion extends distally farther than the second edge portion, wherein the cutting edge defines a cutting edge plane that is obliquely angled relative to the central axis, wherein an entirety of the cutting edge resides within the cutting edge plane; and

(b) an anvil configured to releasably couple and cooperate with the stapling assembly to compress, staple, and cut tissue positioned therebetween, wherein the anvil includes a washer configured to be cut by the knife member after the knife member cuts the tissue,
wherein the washer defines a washer plane that intersects the central axis and is non-parallel to the cutting edge plane such that the cutting edge is configured to engage the washer on a first side of the central axis before the cutting edge engages the washer on a second side of the central axis.