Patent ID: 7694866
Filing Date: 2010-04-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A stapler for laparoscopic aortic repair by intraluminal fixation of an intravascular device, including a graft or a stent-graft, to a blood vessel, comprising: a tubular body configured for positioning within the blood vessel, said tubular body being rigid in longitudinal direction and flexible in lateral direction, the tubular body carrying, a substantially cylindrical head disposed at one end of the tubular body, the cylindrical head having an inner cavity, a proximal end and a distal end; the cylindrical head being connected to a die loadable with fastener means, including U-shaped staples, the die being configured as a barrel having a proximal end, a distal end, a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface and an inner cavity open at the distal end, said barrel having radial slots opening at the peripheral surface, and said die having recesses at the proximal end thereof provided with grooves for receiving the fastener means while each of said grooves being configured with a couple of curvilinear guiding faces located adjacent to the peripheral surface of the die and diverging towards the peripheral surface of the die such that free ends of said fastener means are bent when the fastener means are displaced along the grooves towards peripheral surface of the die; the die being closed by a die lid having a through axial hole, a substantially cylindrical peripheral surface, a proximal and distal end face, a plurality of radial slots extending onto said cylindrical surface, as well as a means for retaining the free ends of the fastener means in the grooves and means for separating the fastener means from the stapler at the end of a working stroke, said stapler further comprising, a control mechanism disposed at a second end of the tubular body opposite to said head, said mechanism comprising a cylindrical hollow body delimited by a proximal end and a distal end, said hollow body being connected to a retaining handle extending from the distal end sidewise at an angle from about 30 degrees to about 90 degrees, and said control mechanism further comprising, a control lever pivotally mounted on said retaining handle and a pressure rod located within said hollow body, having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end and a distal end, the pressure rod being rigid in longitudinal direction and flexible in lateral direction and being operatively associated via its distal end with said control lever and its proximal end being located in the inner axial cavity of said die to allow for reciprocating therealong, said control mechanism further comprising a plurality of pivotable levers, deployed within the axial cavity of the cylindrical head that pivot upon application of axial force by the pressure rod, pivoting of said pivotable levers resulting in application of a radial force to a fastener means causing its radial displacement along the grooves; said stapler further comprising means for temporary fixation on the stapler body of intravascular devices, when it is put over the stapler body, said means for temporary fixation comprising an adjusting screw to displace the pressure rod to such an extent that the free ends of the fastener means punch the wall of said intravascular device and prick the intravascular device.