Surgical stapling device for performing circular anastomosis and surgical staples for use therewith

1. A surgical stapler, comprising:

a handle assembly including a stationary handle, an approximation mechanism, and a firing trigger for firing a plurality of surgical fasteners; and

an end effector supported on a distal end of the handle assembly, the end effector including:

a circular anvil assembly, including:

an anvil center rod having a proximal end configured for selective connection to the approximation mechanism and a distal end, the center rod defining a central longitudinal axis; and

an anvil head secured to the distal end of the anvil center rod, the anvil head including:

an anvil plate defining a tissue contact surface; and

at least two annular rows of a plurality of staple forming pockets formed in the tissue contact surface of the anvil plate, wherein each of the plurality of staple forming pockets has a curved length, the length of each staple forming pocket of a relatively inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly being relatively shorter than the length of each staple forming pocket of a relatively outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly; and

a circular staple cartridge assembly defining at least two rows of a plurality of staple retaining slots corresponding to a number of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly, the staple cartridge assembly including a plurality of surgical staples supported therein in a spaced relation to each other.

2. The surgical stapler according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly has a curved length.

3. The surgical stapler according to claim 2 , wherein each staple forming pocket of the anvil assembly has a radius of curvature extending from the central longitudinal axis of the center rod.

4. The surgical stapler according to claim 3 , wherein each staple retaining slot of the staple cartridge assembly has a radius of curvature extending from a central longitudinal axis of the surgical stapler.

5. The surgical stapler according to claim 2 , wherein the length of each staple retaining slot of a relatively inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively shorter than the length of each staple retaining slot of a relatively outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

6. The surgical stapler according to claim 5 , wherein the anvil plate of the anvil assembly defines a middle annular row of staple forming pockets disposed between the inner annular row of staple forming pockets and the outer annular row of staple forming pockets.

7. The surgical stapler according to claim 6 , wherein the staple cartridge assembly defines a middle annular row of staple retaining slots disposed between the inner annular row of staple retaining slots and the outer annular row of staple retaining slots.

8. The surgical stapler according to claim 7 , wherein the length of each staple forming pocket of the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is relatively longer than the length of each staple forming pocket of the inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

9. The surgical stapler according to claim 8 , wherein the length of each staple forming pocket of the outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is relatively longer than the length of each staple forming pocket of the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

10. The surgical stapler according to claim 9 , wherein the length of each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than the length of each staple retaining slot of the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

11. The surgical stapler according to claim 10 , wherein the length of each staple retaining slot of the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than the length of each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

12. The surgical stapler according to claim 11 , wherein a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the inner annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

13. The surgical stapler according to claim 12 , wherein the distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the middle annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in the outer annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly.

14. The surgical stapler according to claim 13 , wherein a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

15. The surgical stapler according to claim 12 , wherein the distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal to a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

16. The surgical stapler according to claim 12 , wherein the staple forming pockets of at least two adjacent annular rows of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly are nested with one another.

17. The surgical stapler according to claim 11 , wherein each staple retaining slot of each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is loaded with a surgical staple having a backspan with an appropriate length that corresponds to the length of the staple retaining slot.

18. The surgical stapler according to claim 17 , wherein the length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than the length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the inner annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

19. The surgical stapler according to claim 18 , wherein the length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the outer annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is relatively longer than the length of the backspan of the surgical staples loaded in each staple retaining slot of the middle annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly.

20. The surgical stapler according to claim 19 , wherein each surgical staple includes a leg depending from each opposed end of the backspan, wherein the legs define a plane, and wherein the backspan is arcuate and projects in a direction out of the plane defined by the legs of the surgical staple.

21. The surgical stapler according to claim 1 , wherein each annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly includes an equal number of staple forming pockets.

22. The surgical stapler according to claim 1 , wherein each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly includes an equal number of staple retaining slots.

23. The surgical stapler according to claim 22 , wherein a distance between adjacent staple forming pockets in each annular row of staple forming pockets of the anvil assembly is substantially equal for every annular row of staple forming pockets.

24. The surgical stapler according to claim 23 , wherein a distance between adjacent staple retaining slots in each annular row of staple retaining slots of the staple cartridge assembly is substantially equal for every annular row of staple retaining slots.