Surgical stapler cartridge with support features
An apparatus includes a first stapling assembly, a plurality of staples a plurality of staple drivers, and a second stapling assembly portion. The first stapling assembly portion has a deck surface defining a plurality of apertures. The staple drivers can drive the plurality of staples through the staple apertures of the deck surface. The second stapling assembly can couple with the first stapling assembly portion. The second stapling assembly portion has a section that overlies the deck surface. At least one of the first or second stapling assembly portions include a first support feature that inhibits deflection of the deck surface during stapling.
1 . A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body extending along a longitudinal axis;
(b) a cartridge tray that at least partially overlies a top surface of the cartridge body;
(c) a deck defined by the top surface of the cartridge body or by the cartridge tray and having a plurality of apertures;
(d) a plurality of staples positioned within the apertures;
(e) a plurality of staple drivers actuatable through the cartridge body to the deck to drive the staples through the apertures in the deck, wherein the cartridge tray is configured to constrain the staple drivers relative to the cartridge body; and
(f) a plurality of protrusions defined by an interior portion of the cartridge tray, wherein the protrusions extend transversely to the deck and a bottom surface of the cartridge body and cooperate to at least partially define an elongate slot configured to slidably receive a knife of the surgical stapler, wherein the protrusions are configured to inhibit deflection of the cartridge tray and the cartridge body when patient tissue is clamped against the deck.
2 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions at least partially define a cavity configured to receive at least a portion of the cartridge body.
3 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the cartridge body includes a nose.
4 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions include at least first and second fixed protrusions that are laterally opposed about the longitudinal axis.
5 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 4 , wherein each of the first and second fixed protrusions extends continuously between a proximal end and a distal end of the elongate slot.
6 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the first and second fixed protrusions cooperate to define at least an upper portion of the elongate slot that is spaced above a lower portion of the elongate slot adjacent to the bottom surface of the cartridge body.
7 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of protrusions further include a plurality of movable protrusions that are spaced apart longitudinally along the longitudinal axis and cooperate with the first and second fixed protrusions to define the elongate slot, wherein each of the movable protrusions is movable from a first position to a second position in response to firing of the surgical staple cartridge.
8 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 7 , wherein the first and second fixed protrusions overlie the movable protrusions such that the first and second fixed protrusions cooperate to define an upper portion of the elongate slot and the plurality of movable protrusions cooperate to define a lower portion of the elongate slot.
9 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge tray comprises a metallic material, wherein the cartridge body comprises a polymeric material.
10 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the protrusions include a plurality of movable protrusions that are positioned perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis when the surgical staple cartridge is in an unfired configuration and positioned parallel relative to the longitudinal axis when the surgical staple cartridge is in a fired configuration.
11 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body is substantially rigid and thereby configured to resist compressing when the patient tissue is clamped against the deck.
12 . A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body extending along a longitudinal axis;
(b) a cartridge tray that overlies the cartridge body;
(c) a deck defined by one of the cartridge body or the cartridge tray, wherein the deck includes a plurality of apertures configured to house a plurality of staples;
(d) a plurality of staple drivers actuatable through the cartridge body to the deck to drive the staples through the apertures in the deck, wherein the cartridge tray is configured to constrain the staple drivers relative to the cartridge body;
(e) an elongate slot configured to slidably receive a knife; and
(f) a strut defined by the cartridge tray and at least partially defining the elongate slot, wherein the strut is configured to be driven from an upright position substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis to a downward position substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis when the surgical staple cartridge is fired.
13 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 12 , wherein the strut comprises a metal.
14 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 12 , further including a plurality of struts that include the strut, wherein the struts are longitudinally spaced apart along the longitudinal axis such that the struts are configured to be successively driven from the upright position to the downward position as the surgical staple cartridge is fired.
15 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 12 , further comprising a protrusion defined by the cartridge tray, the protrusion cooperating with the strut to at least partially define the elongate slot and inhibit deflection of the cartridge tray and the cartridge body when patient tissue is clamped against the deck before the surgical staple cartridge is fired.
16 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 15 , wherein the protrusion comprises a first protrusion, further comprising a second protrusion defined by the cartridge tray and laterally opposed from the protrusion about the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second protrusions are configured to cooperate to inhibit deflection of the cartridge body when patient tissue is clamped against the deck before the surgical staple cartridge is fired.
17 . A surgical staple cartridge, comprising:
(a) a cartridge body extending along a longitudinal axis and including a deck having a plurality of apertures configured to house a plurality of staples;
(b) an elongate slot that extends along the longitudinal axis and is configured to slidably receive a knife of a surgical stapler; and
(c) a cartridge tray that overlies an underside of the cartridge body and a portion of the deck, wherein the cartridge tray includes a rigid protrusion that depends downwardly from the deck in a direction toward the underside and at least partially defines the elongate slot, wherein the protrusion is configured to inhibit deflection of the cartridge tray and the cartridge body when patient tissue is clamped against the deck.
18 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein the protrusion comprises a first protrusion, further comprising a second protrusion defined by the cartridge tray and laterally opposed from the first protrusion within the elongate slot, wherein the second protrusion is configured to cooperate with the first protrusion to inhibit deflection of the cartridge body when patient tissue is clamped against the deck.
19 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 18 , wherein the first protrusion comprises a first leg and the second protrusion comprises a second leg laterally opposed from the first leg about the longitudinal axis.