Dissecting tip for surgical stapler

1. A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising:

positioning an end effector having an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly adjacent target tissue when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in a clamped position;

pressing a dissecting tip of the end effector against the target tissue while maintaining the end effector in the clamped position to separate the target tissue from surrounding tissue, wherein the dissecting tip extends distally from one of the anvil assembly or the cartridge assembly and includes a tip end, the tip end being longitudinally and distally spaced a fixed distance from a distal-most end of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly to engage the target tissue when the end effector is in the clamped position, the dissecting tip extending across a plane defined by a tissue contacting surface of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position;

moving the end effector to an open position;

positioning the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly; and

clamping the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the end effector includes inserting the end effector through a trocar cannula assembly.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein clamping tissue between the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly includes moving the end effector to an open position, positioning the tissue between the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly, and returning the end effector to the clamped position.

4. The method of claim 1 , further including stapling the target tissue.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein stapling the tissue includes actuating a handle assembly of a stapling device supporting the end effector.

6. The method of claim 4 , further including cutting the target tissue.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including supporting the dissecting tip to one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the end effector includes articulating the end effector relative to an elongate body of a stapling device supporting the end effector.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein positioning the end effector includes rotating the end effector relative to a handle assembly of a stapling device supporting the end effector.

10. The method of claim 1 , further including attaching the end effector to a handle assembly of a stapling device.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip extends beyond the cartridge assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip is curved.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein pressing the dissecting tip of the end effector against the target tissue includes engaging a distal facing surface of the dissecting tip with the target tissue.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein pressing the dissecting tip of the end effector against target tissue includes engaging a proximal facing surface of the dissecting tip with the surrounding tissue.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip is spaced from the cartridge assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip does not extend beyond a width of the end effector when the end effector is in the clamped position.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip does not extend beyond a height of the end effector when the end effector is in the clamped position.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly supports a plurality of staples.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the dissecting tip is fixedly secured to one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue contacting surfaces of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are adjacent one another when the end effector is in the clamped position.

21. A method of performing a surgical procedure comprising:

positioning an end effector having an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly adjacent target tissue when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in a clamped position, each of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly defining a tissue contacting surface, the tissue contacting surfaces being in juxtapose relation when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in the clamped position;

pressing a dissecting tip of the end effector against the target tissue while maintaining the end effector in the clamped position to separate the target tissue from surrounding tissue, wherein the dissecting tip extends distally from one of the anvil assembly or the cartridge assembly and includes a tip end, the tip end being longitudinally and distally spaced a fixed distance from a distal-most end of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly to engage the target tissue when the end effector is in the clamped position, the dissecting tip extending through a plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the other of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position;

moving the end effector to an open position;

positioning the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly; and

clamping the target tissue between the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly.

22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly defines openings for receiving staples therethrough and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly defines anvil forming pockets corresponding to the openings in the cartridge assembly.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly defines openings for receiving staples therethrough and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly defines anvil forming pockets corresponding to the openings in the cartridge assembly.