US 12,453,553 B2
Overlapping staple pattern for surgical stapler
Brian D. Schings, Maineville, OH (US); and Francesca N. Mayhaus, Independence, KY (US)
Assigned to CILAG GMBH INTERNATIONAL, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Sep. 27, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/485,589.
Prior Publication US 2023/0107231 A1, Apr. 6, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/068 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0686 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07264 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
(a) an anvil includes a staple forming pocket, wherein the staple forming pocket extends along a longitudinal axis; and
(b) a stapling assembly comprising:
(i) a first staple that includes a first crown, wherein the first crown extends along a first axis, and
(ii) a second staple, wherein the staple forming pocket of the anvil is configured to deform each of the first and second staples to thereby transition the first and second staples from a non-deformed state where the second staple extends along a first plane to a deformed state where the second staple extends along multiple planes including the first plane, the second staple comprising:
(A) a second crown that is generally parallel to and offset from the first crown by a fixed distance, wherein the fixed distance is the same for the non-deformed and deformed states, wherein the second crown extends along a second axis, wherein the first and second axes each extend substantially at a same angle relative to the longitudinal axis in response to being transitioned to the deformed state,
(B) a first leg extending from the second crown and terminating at a first end, wherein the first leg is disposed at a first angle relative to the second crown in the non-deformed state, wherein the first leg of the second staple is configured to extend over the first crown such that the first leg extends into a space directly between the first crown and the anvil to form an overlapping staple pattern between the first and second staples in response to the first and second staples being transitioned to the deformed state, and
(C) a second leg extending from the second crown and terminating at a second end, wherein the first and second ends of the second staple are separated by a first distance in the non-deformed state, wherein the first and second ends of the second staple are separated by a second distance in the deformed state, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, wherein the first and second staples form an interlocking shape in the deformed state, wherein first and second ends are deformed in opposite directions away from the longitudinal axis.