Method for operating a surgial stapling and cutting device

1. A method for operating a surgical end effector of a medical device, which comprises:

operably associating a passive articulation joint with a surgical end effector to connect the end effector to a control handle and to allow articulation of the end effector, the control handle having an articulation joint actuator;

retaining the passive articulation joint in a still position with an articulation lock;

applying an actuation force to the articulation joint actuator to pull the articulation joint actuator in a proximal direction that is opposite the end effector to release the articulation lock and thereby free the passive articulation joint from its still position and permit the end effector to articulate through the passive articulation joint into any articulated position dependent upon forces that are external to the device and are applied to the end effector; and

passively articulating the end effector into a desired articulated position by pressing a portion of the end effector against a feature of the environment.

2. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises locking the articulation lock to maintain the end effector in its articulated position.

3. The method according to claim 2 , which further comprises carrying out the retaining, releasing, articulating, and locking steps with a single hand.

4. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the locking step further comprises positioning the articulation joint actuator to selectively connect with the articulation lock to retain the passive articulation joint and maintain the end effector in its articulated position.

5. The method according to claim 4 , which further comprises effecting a surgical stapling procedure with the end effector in its articulated position.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the environment is a surgical site internal to a body of a patient.

7. The method according to claim 1 , which further comprises effecting a surgical stapling procedure with the end effector in its articulated position.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the articulating step permits articulation of the end effector with respect to the control handle about an articulation axis.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the retaining step further comprises positioning the articulation joint actuator to selectively connect with the articulation lock to retain the passive articulation joint in the still position.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the displacement of the articulation joint actuator in the proximal direction separates the articulation joint actuator from the articulation lock to free the passive articulation joint from its still position.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the control handle is comprised of a first portion of the passive articulation joint; and

the end effector is comprised of a second portion of the passive articulation joint, the first and second portions of the passive articulation joint connecting the end effector to the control handle.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein:

the surgical end effector has at least one of a stapling device and a cutting device; and

the control handle has:

a stapler closing actuator operable to close the stapling device when actuated;

a staple firing actuator operable to effect at least one of stapling tissue with the stapling device and cutting tissue with the cutting device when actuated; and

the stapler closing actuator and the staple firing actuator are different from the articulation joint actuator.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, once the passive articulation joint is freed from its still position, the end effector will not articulate in the absence of a force that is external to the device and is applied to the end effector.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein, once the passive articulation joint is freed from its still position, the end effector is incapable of an articulating movement in the absence of a feature of the environment external to the device coming into contact with the end effector.