Patent ID: 7673783

Claim:
A surgical severing/stapling instrument including a medical agent dispensing system, the instrument comprising: a handle portion including at least one storage reservoir structured for storing at least a component of a medical agent, wherein the at least one storage reservoir is supported by the handle portion; a shaft portion connected to the handle portion, the shaft portion including a gear pump casing in communication with the storage reservoir, the gear pump casing including a screw pump auger extending therethrough using rotational manipulation to move the medical agent through the gear pump casing; an end effector portion operatively associated with the shaft portion, the end effector including a channel having a staple cartridge positioned removably therein, said end effector further supporting a knife bar therein, said knife bar being selectively movable from a retracted position to fired positions upon application of firing motions thereto and selectively movable from the fired positions to the retracted position upon application of a retraction motion thereto; a firing trigger configured to apply said firing motions and said retraction motion; at least one agent tube in communication with the gear pump casing, the agent tube extending from the shaft portion to communicate with at least one agent port formed in the staple cartridge for dispensing the medical agent therethrough, such that said screw pump auger is automatically activated to pump said medical agent from said at least one storage reservoir through said gear pump casing and said at least one agent tube upon an actuation of said firing trigger, which initiates the application of said retraction motion to said knife bar.