Patent ID: 9522004
Filing Date: 2016-12-20
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising: positioning an end effector having an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly adjacent target tissue when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in a clamped position; pressing a dissecting tip of the end effector against the target tissue while maintaining the end effector in the clamped position to separate the target tissue from surrounding tissue, wherein the dissecting tip extends distally from one of the anvil assembly or the cartridge assembly and includes a tip end, the tip end being longitudinally and distally spaced a fixed distance from a distal-most end of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly to engage the target tissue when the end effector is in the clamped position, the dissecting tip extending across a plane defined by a tissue contacting surface of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position; moving the end effector to an open position; positioning the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly; and clamping the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly.