Surgical procedure using a cutting and stapling instrument having releasable staple-forming pockets
A surgical procedure including the steps of performing a plurality of cutting strokes to cut a patient's stomach into a first part and a second part. For one cutting stroke an endocutter is used that is loaded with a staple cartridge. The staple cartridge includes a plurality of staples to staple the first and second parts of the stomach. One or more staples in the staple cartridge have an integrated crown and staple driver.
1 . A surgical procedure comprising:
performing a plurality of cutting strokes to cut a patient's soft tissue into a first part and a second part, wherein for one cutting stroke an endocutter is used that is loaded with a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples to staple the first and second parts of the soft tissue, and wherein one or more staples in the staple cartridge have an integrated crown and staple driver.
2 . The surgical procedure of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the integrated crown and staple drivers of the staples define one or more staple-end recesses for turning the staples.
3 . The surgical procedure of claim 2 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the staple cartridge having staples with integrated crowns and staple drivers is used.
4 . The surgical procedure of claim 3 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
5 . The surgical procedure of claim 1 , wherein for the at least one of the cutting strokes the endocutter further comprises an anvil comprising one or more releasable pocket elements that are separately releasable from the anvil upon firing of the instrument, wherein the one or more releasable pocket elements each comprise at least one staple-end retaining surface.
6 . The surgical procedure of claim 5 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a bioabsorbable material; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a bioabsorbable material.
7 . The surgical procedure of claim 5 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a non-bioabsorbable material; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a non-bioabsorbable material.
8 . The surgical procedure of claim 5 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the staple cartridge having staples with integrated crowns and staple drivers is used.
9 . The surgical procedure of claim 8 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
10 . The surgical procedure of claim 1 , wherein the procedure comprises a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure.
11 . A surgical procedure comprising:
using a first endocutter to make a first series of one or more cuts to a patient's soft tissue;
using a second endocutter to make a second series of one or more cuts to the patient's soft tissue after the first series is made; and
using the first endocutter to make a third series of one or more cuts to the patient's tissue after the second series is made, such that upon completion of the third series the patient's soft tissue is cut into a first part and a second part, and
wherein for each of the one or more cuts by the second endocutter, the second endocutter is loaded with a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples to staple the parts of the patient's soft tissue, wherein one or more staples in the staple cartridge have an integrated crown and staple driver.
12 . The surgical procedure of claim 11 , wherein one or more of the integrated crown and staple drivers of the staples define one or more staple-end recesses for turning the staples.
13 . The surgical procedure of claim 12 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the second endocutter was used to make the second series of cuts.
14 . The surgical procedure of claim 13 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
15 . The surgical procedure of claim 11 , wherein for each of the one or more cuts by the second endocutter, the second endocutter further comprises an anvil comprising one or more releasable pocket elements that are separately releasable from the anvil upon firing of the instrument, wherein the one or more releasable pocket elements each comprise at least one staple-end retaining surface.
16 . The surgical procedure of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a bioabsorbable material; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a bioabsorbable material.
17 . The surgical procedure of claim 15 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a non-bioabsorbable material; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a non-bioabsorbable material.
18 . The surgical procedure of claim 15 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the second endocutter was used to make the second series of cuts.
19 . The surgical procedure of claim 18 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
20 . The surgical procedure of claim 11 , wherein for each of the one or more cuts by the first endocutter, the first endocutter is loaded with a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples to staple the parts of the patient's stomach, wherein one or more staples in the staple cartridge have an integrated crown and staple driver.
21 . The surgical procedure of claim 11 , wherein the procedure comprises a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure.
22 . A surgical procedure comprising:
using an endocutter to make a first series of one or more cuts to a patient's soft tissue;
using an endocutter to make a second series of one or more cuts to the patient's soft tissue after the first series is made;
prior to each of the second series of cuts, loading the endocutter with a staple cartridge having a plurality of staples to staple the parts of the patient's stomach, wherein one or more staples in the staple cartridge have an integrated crown and staple driver; and
using the first endocutter to make a third series of one or more cuts to the patient's soft tissue after the second series is made, such that upon completion of the third series the patient's soft tissue is cut into a first part and a second part.
23 . The surgical procedure of claim 22 , wherein one or more of the integrated crown and staple drivers of the staples define one or more staple-end recesses for turning the staples.
24 . The surgical procedure of claim 23 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the endocutter was used to make the second series of cuts.
25 . The surgical procedure of claim 24 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
26 . The surgical procedure of claim 22 , wherein for each of the second series of cuts the endocutter further comprises an anvil comprising one or more releasable pocket elements that are separately releasable from the anvil upon firing of the instrument, and wherein the one or more releasable pocket elements each comprise at least one staple-end retaining surface.
27 . The surgical procedure of claim 26 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a bioabsorbable material; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a bioabsorbable material.
28 . The surgical procedure of claim 26 , wherein:
the one or more releasable pocket elements comprise a material that is non-absorbable by the patient's stomach; and
the integrated crown and staple driver of the one or more staples comprise a material that is non-absorbable by the patient's stomach.
29 . The surgical procedure of claim 26 , wherein the patient's soft tissue comprises the patient's stomach, and wherein the surgical procedure further comprises placing a gastric band around the first part of the patient's stomach, wherein the gastric band is placed in an area of the first part of the patient's stomach where the second series of cuts were made.
30 . The surgical procedure of claim 29 , further comprising connecting the patient's middle intestine to the first part of the patient's stomach.
31 . The surgical procedure of claim 22 , wherein the procedure comprises a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass procedure.