US 12,133,649 B2
Surgical stapler cartridge retainer with ejector feature
Scott T. Freidel, Cincinnati, OH (US); Michael E. Setser, Burlington, KY (US); and Lauren M. Valente, Macomb, IN (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmBH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Oct. 24, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/972,029.
Application 17/972,029 is a continuation of application No. 16/916,295, filed on Jun. 30, 2020, granted, now 11,497,494.
Prior Publication US 2023/0172605 A1, Jun. 8, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07228 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0725 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07278 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system, comprising:
(a) a surgical staple cartridge having an upper cartridge side and a lower cartridge side, wherein the upper cartridge side includes an angled distal surface and a deck having a plurality of apertures configured to house a plurality of staples, wherein the surgical staple cartridge is configured to be inserted into a surgical stapler jaw; and
(b) an accessory tool configured to facilitate removal of the surgical staple cartridge from the surgical stapler jaw, wherein the accessory tool includes:
(i) an elongate body extending longitudinally along a central linear axis, wherein the elongate body defines a first cartridge engagement surface that is planar and extends laterally relative to the central linear axis, and
(ii) a cartridge removal extension that extends away from and is fixed relative to the elongate body and defines a second cartridge engagement surface spaced apart from the first cartridge engagement surface,
wherein the elongate body and the cartridge removal extension cooperate to define a gap positioned along the central linear axis, wherein the gap is configured to receive a distal cartridge end of the surgical staple cartridge therein such that the first cartridge engagement surface contacts the upper cartridge side while the second cartridge engagement surface contacts the lower cartridge side at the distal cartridge end,
wherein the accessory tool is configured to pry the distal cartridge end from the surgical stapler jaw when a proximal end of the accessory tool is moved relative to the surgical stapler jaw while the distal cartridge end is positioned within the gap.