Patent ID: 6805273
Filing Date: 2004-10-19
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A surgical stapling instrument comprising:a frame having a body portion (2, 3) and a handle (4) extending from said body portion (2) in a proximal end region of said instrument (1), a staple fastening assembly (8) in a distal end region of said instrument (1), said staple fastening assembly (8) including a curved cartridge (10), which comprises at least one curved open row (34, 35, 36) of staples (54, 55, 56), and, at the distal end of said instrument (1), a curved anvil (22), which is adapted to cooperate with said cartridge (10) for forming ends of the staples (54, 55, 56) exiting from said cartridge (10), a staple forming plane (26) of said anvil (22) being arranged transversally with respect to a longitudinal axis (L) of said body portion (3) of said instrument (1), said staple fastening assembly (8) being adapted to allow unobstructed access towards concave inner faces (40, 41, 42) of said cartridge (10) and of said anvil (22), a cartridge moving device (5, 12, 16, 18) adapted to move said cartridge (10) essentially in parallel relationship towards said anvil (22) from a spaced position for positioning tissue therebetween to a closed position for clamping tissue, and a staple driving device (6, 52, 53) adapted to drive the staples (54, 55, 56) out of said cartridge (10) towards said anvil (22).