| CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/07228 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07264 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07278 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
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1. A surgical stapling assembly, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body defining a longitudinal axis and comprising a deck; and
(b) a plurality of cavities defined by the cartridge body and forming openings in the deck, wherein the plurality of cavities comprises:
(i) an inner row of cavities on a first side of the cartridge body, the inner row of cavities comprising:
(A) a first inner cavity comprising a first inner distal end; and
(B) a second inner cavity, wherein the second inner cavity comprises a second inner proximal end adjacent to the first inner distal end, and wherein the first inner cavity and the second inner cavity each define an inner angle relative to the longitudinal axis;
(ii) an outer row of cavities on the first side of the cartridge body, the outer row of cavities comprising:
(A) a first outer cavity comprising a first outer distal end; and
(B) a second outer cavity comprising a second outer proximal end adjacent to the first outer distal end, wherein the first outer cavity and the second outer cavity each define an outer angle relative to the longitudinal axis; and
(iii) an intermediate row of cavities positioned intermediate the inner row of cavities and the outer row of cavities on the first side of the cartridge body, wherein the intermediate row of cavities comprises:
(A) a first intermediate cavity comprising a first intermediate proximal end and a first intermediate distal end; and
(B) a second intermediate cavity comprising a second intermediate proximal end adjacent to the first intermediate distal end, wherein the first intermediate cavity and the second intermediate cavity each define an intermediate angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the intermediate angle is greater than the inner angle and less than the outer angle, and wherein the inner angle is substantially zero degrees relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the cavities are arranged such that each of the following axes extends parallel to the longitudinal axis:
(i) an inner central axis extending through a lateral center of each cavity of the inner row of cavities,
(ii) an intermediate central axis extending through a lateral center of each cavity of the intermediate row of cavities, and
(iii) an outer central axis extending through a lateral center of each cavity of the outer row of cavities,
wherein a distance between the intermediate central axis and outer central axis is greater than a maximum width of each of the intermediate cavities.
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