Patent ID: 7500979
Filing Date: 2009-03-10
Classification: A61B,B25C

Abstract:
1. A surgical method comprising: clamping tissue in an end effector of a surgical instrument between an anvil and a staple cartridge of the end effector; and selectively and separately actuating in succession two or more levels of a plurality of wedge band stacks, each wedge band stack comprising two or more vertically stacked wedge bands, each wedge band comprising a wedge cam at its distal end for driving certain staple drivers in the staple cartridge when the wedge band is actuated, wherein a first of the two wedge bands in the stacks rides on a second of the two wedge bands in the stacks such that the staple drivers are driven in successive stages by the at least two wedge bands when the wedge bands are driven separately in succession, wherein the cumulative height of a first of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets is less than a cumulative height of a second of the plurality of stacked wedge band sets.