Staple cartridge comprising a staple including deformable members
A stapling assembly comprising an end effector movable from an open configuration to a closed configuration is disclosed. The end effector comprises an anvil and a staple cartridge comprising a first tissue-contact surface, a second tissue-contact surface stepped up from the first tissue-contact surface, an annular row of cavities, and a plurality of staples removably stored in the cavities. The anvil is configured to transition the staples from an unformed configuration to a formed configuration. Each staple comprises a crown, a first staple leg extending from the crown, and a second staple leg extending from the crown. The first staple leg and the second staple leg define a plane intersecting the crown in the unformed configuration. The first staple leg is bent toward a first side of the plane in the formed configuration. The second staple leg is bent toward a second side of the plane in the formed configuration.
1. A stapling assembly, comprising:
an end effector movable from an open configuration to a closed configuration to capture tissue, wherein said end effector comprises:
an anvil; and
a staple cartridge, comprising:
a first tissue-contact surface;
a second tissue-contact surface stepped up from said first tissue-contact surface;
an annular row of staple cavities; and
a plurality of staples removably stored in said cavities, wherein said staples are deployable from said cavities into contact with said anvil in said closed configuration, wherein said anvil is configured to transition said staples from an unformed configuration to a formed configuration, and wherein each said staple comprises:
a crown;
a first staple leg extending from said crown; and
a second staple leg extending from said crown, wherein said first staple leg and said second staple leg define a plane intersecting said crown in said unformed configuration, wherein said first staple leg is bent toward a first side of said plane in said formed configuration, and wherein said second staple leg is bent toward a second side of said plane opposite said first side in said formed configuration.
2. A staple cartridge for use with a stapling assembly that includes an anvil movable toward said staple cartridge to capture tissue therebetween in a closed configuration, said staple cartridge comprising:
a deck, comprising:
a first deck surface; and
a second deck surface closer to the anvil than said first deck surface when the anvil is in the closed configuration;
an annular row of staple cavities; and
staples removably stored in said cavities, wherein said staples are deployable from said cavities into contact with the anvil when the anvil is in the closed configuration, wherein the anvil is configured to transition said staples from an unformed configuration to a formed configuration, and wherein each said staple comprises:
a crown;
a first deformable member extending from said crown; and
a second deformable member extending from said crown, wherein said first deformable member and said second deformable member define a plane intersecting said crown in said unformed configuration, wherein said first deformable member is deformed toward a first side of said plane in said formed configuration, and wherein said second deformable member is deformed toward a second side of said plane opposite said first side in said formed configuration.
3. A stapler, comprising:
an end effector movable from an open configuration to a closed configuration to capture tissue, wherein said end effector comprises:
a curved anvil; and
a curved staple cartridge, comprising:
a first deck surface positioned at a first distance from said curved anvil when said end effector is in said closed configuration;
a second deck surface positioned a second distance from said curved anvil when said end effector is in said closed configuration, wherein said first distance is different than said second distance; and
a staple deployable through an opening in said first deck surface, wherein said staple is configured to be transitioned by said curved anvil from an unformed configuration to a formed configuration, and wherein said staple comprises:
a crown, comprising:
a first side; and
a second side;
a first deformable member extending from said crown; and
a second deformable member extending from said crown, wherein said first deformable member is deformed toward said first side of said crown in said formed configuration, and wherein said second deformable member is deformed toward said second side of said crown opposite said first side in said formed configuration.