End effector for surgical stapler with varying curve and taper

1. A surgical instrument for treating a tissue of a patient, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly;

(b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising:

(i) a first jaw having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets, wherein the plurality of staple forming pockets includes a proximal portion of the plurality of staple forming pockets and a distal portion of the plurality of staple forming pockets and are respectively configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, and

(ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration,

wherein the first jaw and the second jaw define a straight portion of the end effector and an arcuate portion of the end effector such that the jaw centerline has a straight centerline portion and an arcuate centerline portion, the arcuate portion extending distally from the straight portion such that the arcuate portion of the end effector is configured to provide access to tissue within a patient for treatment,

wherein the straight portion of the end effector has the proximal portion of the plurality of staple forming pockets linearly extending and parallel with the straight centerline portion,

wherein the arcuate portion of the end effector has the distal portion of the plurality of staple forming pockets linearly extending and arranged along an arc parallel with at least a portion of the arcuate centerline portion, wherein each staple forming pocket of the distal portion of the plurality of staple forming pockets is straight, and

wherein the plurality of staple forming pockets comprises a first row of staple forming pockets and a second row of staple forming pockets, wherein the first and second rows of staple forming pockets are positioned on respective sides of the jaw centerline of each of the straight and the arcuate portions, and wherein the anvil further includes a continuous flat surface transversely between the first and second rows of staple forming pockets, wherein the continuous flat surface extends longitudinally along a length of at least one of the first or second rows of staple forming pockets.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the straight portion defines a proximal transverse width generally perpendicular to the jaw centerline, wherein the arcuate portion defines a distal transverse width generally perpendicular to the jaw centerline, wherein the end effector tapers inwardly from the straight portion toward the arcuate portion such that the distal transverse width is narrower than the proximal transverse width.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2 , wherein the distal transverse width of the arcuate portion tapers inwardly toward the jaw centerline distally along the jaw centerline from the straight portion.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the end effector comprises a distal tip, wherein the arcuate portion tapers inwardly toward the jaw centerline from the straight portion to the distal tip.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising:

(i) a deck facing the anvil,

(ii) a plurality of staple openings formed through the deck, and

(iii) a plurality of staples positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of staple openings comprises a first row of staple openings and a second row of staple openings, wherein the first and second rows of staple openings are positioned on respective sides of the jaw centerline and are formed on the deck in each of the straight and the arcuate portions.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the first row of staple openings comprises an outer row of staple openings, wherein the second row of staple openings comprises an inner row of staple openings, wherein the outer row of staple openings is positioned radially outwardly from the jaw centerline in the arcuate portion, wherein the inner row of staple openings is positioned radially inwardly from the jaw centerline in the arcuate portion.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 7 , wherein the outer row of staple openings defines a plurality of outer gaps between the plurality of staple openings, wherein the inner row of staple openings defines a plurality of inner gaps between the plurality of staple openings, wherein the inner gaps and outer gaps have an equivalent elongation.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 6 , wherein the plurality of staple openings further comprises at least one staple opening extending between the first and second rows of staple openings, wherein the at least one staple opening straddles the jaw centerline.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 9 , wherein the at least one staple opening that straddles the jaw centerline is a distal-most staple opening in the deck.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 10 , wherein the at least one staple opening that straddles the jaw centerline is obliquely oriented relative to the jaw centerline thereby defining a first gap between the at least one staple opening and the first row of staple openings and a second gap between the at least one staple opening and the second row of staple openings, wherein the first gap and the second gap have an equivalent elongation.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 5 , wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a wedge sled configured to slide proximate to the deck from a proximal sled position to a distal sled position, wherein the proximal sled position is in the straight portion of the end effector, wherein the distal sled position is in the arcuate portion of the end effector.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 12 , wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a slot positioned below the deck, wherein the slot extends along the jaw centerline at least partially through each of the straight and arcuate portions.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 13 , wherein the staple cartridge further comprises a driver assembly having a first driver and a second driver, the first driver receiving a first staple of the plurality of staples, the second driver receiving a second staple of the plurality of staples, wherein the driver assembly is configured to be engaged by the wedge sled sliding toward the distal sled position and forced toward the first jaw, thereby forcing the first and second staples toward the anvil for formation in the tissue.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 14 , wherein the wedge sled comprises a cam ramp, the cam ramp being positioned on the jaw centerline within the slot and configured to engage the driver assembly and force the driver assembly toward the first jaw.

16. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , wherein the first jaw comprises a first crush surface extending generally parallel with the jaw centerline, wherein the first crush surface is configured to receive tissue thereagainst, wherein the second jaw comprises a second crush surface extending generally parallel with the jaw centerline, wherein the second crush surface is configured to receive tissue thereagainst, wherein the first and second crush surfaces are configured to compress tissue therebetween with a crush pressure configured to sever the tissue along the first and second crush surfaces.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 1 , further comprising a staple cartridge received within the second jaw, the staple cartridge comprising:

(i) a deck facing the anvil,

(ii) a plurality of staple openings formed through the deck,

(iii) a plurality of driver assemblies positioned on the jaw centerline, and

(iv) a plurality of staples supported by the plurality of driver assemblies and positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings.

18. A surgical instrument for treating a tissue of a patient, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly;

(b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising:

(i) a first jaw having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, wherein the plurality of staple forming pockets includes a first row of staple forming pockets and a second row of staple forming pockets, wherein the first and second rows of staple forming pockets are positioned on respective sides of the jaw centerline and the anvil further includes a continuous flat surface transversely between the first and second rows of staple forming pockets, wherein the continuous flat surface extends longitudinally along a length of at least one of the first or second rows of staple forming pockets, and

(ii) a second jaw, wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration,

wherein the first jaw and the second jaw define a straight portion of the end effector and an arcuate portion of the end effector, the arcuate portion extending distally from the straight portion such that the arcuate portion of the end effector is configured to provide access to tissue within a patient for treatment.

19. A surgical instrument for treating a tissue of a patient, comprising:

(a) a shaft assembly;

(b) an end effector extending from the shaft assembly along a jaw centerline, the end effector comprising:

(i) a first jaw having an anvil with a plurality of staple forming pockets configured to form a plurality of staples pressed against the anvil, wherein the plurality of staple forming pockets includes a first row of staple forming pockets and a second row of staple forming pockets, wherein the first and second rows of staple forming pockets are positioned on respective sides of the jaw centerline and the anvil further includes a continuous flat surface transversely between the first and second rows of staple forming pockets, wherein the continuous flat surface extends longitudinally along a length of at least one of the first or second rows of staple forming pockets, and

(ii) a second jaw including:

(A) a deck facing the anvil,

(B) a plurality of staple openings formed through the deck,

(C) a plurality of driver assemblies positioned on the jaw centerline such that the jaw centerline extends through a body portion of each of the driver assemblies,

(D) a plurality of staples supported by the plurality of driver assemblies and positioned respectively within the plurality of staple openings, and

(E) a crush surface extending generally parallel with the jaw centerline such that the crush surface is positioned between the jaw centerline and the anvil,

wherein the first and second jaws are configured to transition between an open configuration and a closed configuration, and

wherein the first jaw and the second jaw define a straight portion of the end effector and an arcuate portion of the end effector, the arcuate portion extending distally from the straight portion such that the arcuate portion of the end effector is configured to provide access to tissue within a patient for treatment.