Compliant compensation features for end effector of surgical stapling instrument
An apparatus includes a body assembly, a shaft extending distally from the body assembly, an end effector attached to the shaft, and a cartridge. The end effector includes a jaw and an anvil pivotable relative to the jaw. The cartridge includes a deck, a plurality of staples, a compressible buttress, a peripheral member, and a pinching surface. The deck has an upper surface facing toward the anvil. The staples are located within openings formed through the deck. Each staple has a pair of legs extending above the upper surface of the deck. The buttress is located on the upper surface of the deck. Portions of the legs of the staples are disposed the buttress. The peripheral member extends above the upper surface of the deck, laterally adjacent to the buttress. The pinching surface is located at a height extending above a height of the legs of the plurality of staples.
1. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly;
(c) an end effector attached to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a jaw, and
(ii) an anvil pivotable from an open position to a closed position relative to the jaw, wherein the anvil comprises a lateral edge located at a first lateral position; and
(d) a cartridge, wherein the cartridge comprises:
(i) a deck comprising an upper surface facing toward the anvil in the closed position, wherein the deck defines a plurality of openings,
(ii) a plurality of staples located within the plurality of openings, wherein each staple in the plurality of staples comprises a pair of legs extending above the upper surface of the deck,
(iii) a compressible buttress located on the upper surface of the deck, wherein portions of the legs of the staples are disposed in the compressible buttress,
(iv) a peripheral member extending above the upper surface of the deck, laterally adjacent to the compressible buttress, and
(v) a pinching surface associated with the peripheral member, wherein the pinching surface is located at a height extending above a height of the legs of the plurality of staples, wherein the first lateral position of the lateral edge of the anvil is laterally aligned with the pinching surface such that the lateral edge and the pinching surface share a common lateral position.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral member is unitarily connected to the pinching surface.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lateral edge and the pinching surface are configured to shear tissue located between the anvil and the cartridge when the anvil pivots from the open position to the closed position.
4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the anvil defines a first longitudinal channel, wherein the cartridge defines a second longitudinal channel, wherein the apparatus further comprises a knife member configured to translate within the first longitudinal channel and the second longitudinal channel when the anvil is in the closed position.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a wedge sled, wherein the wedge sled is associated with the knife member, wherein the wedge sled is configured to drive the plurality of staples toward the anvil when the knife member translates within the first longitudinal channel and the second longitudinal channel.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the anvil further comprises a plurality of staple forming pockets, wherein the staple forming pockets are configured to align with the plurality of openings of the deck when the anvil is in the closed position.
7. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly;
(c) an end effector attached to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a jaw, and
(ii) an anvil pivotable from an open position to a closed position relative to the jaw, wherein the anvil comprises a lateral edge located at a first lateral position; and
(d) a cartridge configured to align with the anvil while the anvil is in the closed position, wherein the cartridge comprises:
(i) a deck defining a plurality of openings,
(ii) a plurality of staples positioned within the plurality of openings, wherein each staple in the plurality of staples comprises a pair of legs extending above the deck,
(iii) a compressible buttress attached to the legs of the staples, wherein the compressible buttress is located on the upper surface of the deck, wherein the compressible buttress comprises an upper surface extending across a lateral range of positions, wherein the lateral edge is configured to be laterally offset from the upper surface of the compressible buttress when the anvil is in the closed position such that the first lateral position of the lateral edge is located outside the lateral range of positions of the upper surface of the compressible buttress, and
(iv) a peripheral member defining a pinching surface, wherein the pinching surface is configured to face the anvil while the anvil is in the closed position, wherein the pinching surface is located at a height positioned above a height of the legs of the plurality of staples.
8. An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a body assembly;
(b) a shaft extending distally from the body assembly;
(c) an end effector attached to the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a jaw, and
(ii) an anvil pivotable from an open position to a closed position relative to the jaw, wherein the anvil comprises a lateral edge located at a first lateral position; and
(d) a cartridge removably attached to the jaw, wherein the cartridge comprises:
(i) a deck comprising an upper surface configured to face toward the anvil in the closed position, wherein the deck defines a plurality of openings,
(ii) a plurality of staples located within the plurality of openings, wherein each staple in the plurality of staples comprises a pair of legs extending above the upper surface of the deck,
(iii) a compressible buttress located on the upper surface of the deck, wherein portions of the legs of the staples are positioned in compressible buttress, and
(iv) a pinching surface located adjacent to the compressible buttress, wherein the pinching surface extends to a height located above a height of the legs of the staples, wherein the first lateral position of the lateral edge shares a common lateral position with the pinching surface such that the lateral edge is configured to be laterally offset from the compressible buttress when the anvil is in the closed position.