Surgical stapling instrument with independent sequential firing
View Patent ↗An end effector for a surgical fastener applying instrument including a first jaw member and a second jaw member. The second jaw member includes first and second cartridges each containing a plurality of surgical fasteners, wherein each of the first and second cartridges is configured to move independently with respect to the first jaw member between a proximal position and a distal.
1. A surgical fastener applying instrument, comprising:
a handle portion;
an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion;
a first jaw member positioned at a distal portion of the instrument; and
a second jaw member positioned at the distal portion of the instrument and including first and second cartridges, wherein each of the first and second cartridges includes a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein and is configured to move independently with respect to the first jaw member between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the handle portion includes a first handle and a second handle, the first handle operatively associated with a first firing mechanism to advance the fasteners from the first cartridge and the second handle operatively associated with a second firing mechanism to advance the fasteners from the second cartridge, the fasteners arranged in substantially linear rows.
2. The surgical fastener applying instrument of claim 1 , wherein the elongate portion defines a longitudinal axis and each of the first and second jaw members includes a tissue contacting surface oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate portion.
3. The surgical fastener applying instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a knife disposed between the first and second cartridges, wherein the knife is adapted to move from a proximal position to a distal position.
4. A surgical fastener applying instrument, comprising:
a handle portion;
an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion;
a first jaw member positioned at a distal portion of the instrument; and
a second jaw member positioned at the distal portion of the instrument and including first and second cartridges, wherein each of the first and second cartridges includes a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein and is configured to move independently with respect to the first jaw member between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the handle portion comprises first and second handles operatively connected to a thrusting assembly, the thrusting assembly movable in a first plane to advance the first cartridge and movable in a second plane to advance the second cartridge.
5. A surgical fastener applying instrument, comprising:
a handle portion;
an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion;
a first jaw member positioned at a distal portion of the instrument; and
a second jaw member positioned at the distal portion of the instrument and including first and second cartridges, wherein each of the first and second cartridges includes a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein and is configured to move independently with respect to the first jaw member between a proximal position and a distal position, wherein the handle portion comprises first and second handles operatively connected to a thrusting assembly, the thrusting assembly movable in a first plane to fire the fasteners from the first cartridge and movable in a second plane to fire the fasteners from the second cartridge.
6. A surgical fastener applying instrument, comprising:
a handle portion;
an elongate portion extending distally from the handle portion;
a first jaw member positioned at a distal portion of the instrument;
a second jaw member positioned at the distal portion of the instrument and including first and second cartridges, wherein each of the first and second cartridges includes a plurality of surgical fasteners contained therein and is configured to move independently with respect to the first jaw member between a proximal position and a distal position;
a knife disposed between the first and second cartridges, wherein the knife is adapted to move from a proximal position to a distal position; and
a thrust assembly for moving the first and second cartridges distally and for firing the fasteners from the first and second cartridges, the thrust assembly having a first set of protrusions configured to actuate the first cartridge and a second set of protrusions transversely out of alignment with the first set of protrusions and configured to actuate the second cartridge.