End effectors, surgical stapling devices, and methods of using same

1. An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a minimally invasive procedure, the anatomical structure having a first side and a second side, the end effector comprising:

an anvil that includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on the first side of the anatomical structure;

a cartridge that is configured to house a plurality of staples and that includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on the second side of the anatomical structure; and

a knife, having a first flange, a second flange, and a cutting edge, wherein the knife is operably configured to move from a first position at about a distal end of the end effector to a second position at about a proximal end of the end effector;

wherein the distal end of the anvil is movably coupled to the distal end of the cartridge, each of the anvil and the cartridge is insertable through a trocar, and the end effector is remotely operable from outside the patient with at least a portion of one of the anvil and the cartridge being movable toward the other to clamp the end effector.

2. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the anvil is pivotally coupled with the distal end of the cartridge.

3. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the anvil is pivotally coupled to the distal end of the cartridge with a hinge.

4. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the anvil further comprises a first track and the cartridge further comprises a second track with which the knife is selectively engageable.

5. The end effector of claim 1 , further comprising an alignment mechanism operably figured to facilitate alignment between the anvil and the cartridge when the end effector transitions from an open position to a closed position.

6. The end effector of claim 1 , wherein the proximal end of the anvil is movably coupled with the proximal end of the cartridge.

7. The end effector of claim 6 , wherein the proximal end of the anvil is movably coupled with the proximal end of the cartridge with an engagement element.

8. An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a minimally invasive procedure, the anatomical structure having a first side and a second side, the end effector comprising:

an anvil that includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on the first side of the anatomical structure;

a cartridge that is configured to house a plurality of staples and that includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a face that is positionable on the second side of the anatomical structure;

a knife, having a first flange, a second flange, a web, and a cutting edge,

a first slot, the first slot being defined at least partially by the face of the anvil, wherein the first slot is configured to slidably receive the web of the knife during movement of the knife; and

a second slot, the second slot being defined at least partially by the face of the cartridge, wherein the second slot is configured to slidably receive the web of the knife during movement of the knife; and

wherein the distal end of the anvil is movably coupled to the distal end of the cartridge, each of the anvil and the cartridge is insertable through a trocar, and the end effector is remotely operable from outside the patient with at least a portion of one of the anvil and the cartridge being movable toward the other to clamp the end effector and to transect the anatomical structure, and

wherein the knife is operably configured to move from a first position at about a distal end of the end effector to a second position at about a proximal end of the end effector.

9. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the anvil further comprises a first track with which the knife is selectively engageable and the cartridge further comprises a second track with which the knife is selectively engageable.

10. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the knife has a substantially I-shaped configuration.

11. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the first flange and the second flange of the knife cooperate to retain the end effector in a closed position.

12. The end effector of claim 8 , further comprising an alignment mechanism operably configured to facilitate alignment between the anvil and the cartridge when the end effector transitions from an open position to a closed position.

13. The end effector of claim 8 , wherein the distal end of the anvil is pivotally coupled to the second end of the cartridge with a hinge.

14. An end effector for use by a surgeon to staple an anatomical structure of a patient during a minimally invasive procedure, the anatomical structure having a first side and a second side, the end effector comprising:

an anvil, the anvil comprising:

a. a proximal end,

b. a distal end,

c. an anvil face,

d. a first track defined at least partially by the anvil, and

e. a first slot defined at least partially by the anvil face;

a cartridge that is configured to house a plurality of staples, the cartridge comprising;

a. a proximal end,

b. a distal end,

c. a cartridge face, the cartridge face being positioned substantially opposite the anvil face,

d. a second track defined at least partially by the cartridge, and

e. a second slot defined at least partially by the cartridge face;

a knife, wherein the knife is operably configured to move longitudinally from a first position at the distal end of the end effector to a second position at about the proximal end of the end effector;

wherein the first slot of the anvil and the second slot of the cartridge are configured to slidably receive the knife during movement of the knife; and

a hinge, the hinge being positioned at the distal end of the anvil and the distal end of the cartridge, wherein the hinge pivotally couples the anvil and the cartridge; and

wherein the distal end of the anvil is movably coupled to the distal end of the cartridge, each of the anvil and the cartridge is insertable through a trocar, and the end effector is remotely operable from outside the patient with at least a portion of one of the anvil and the cartridge being movable toward the other to clamp the end effector and to transect the anatomical structure.

15. The end effector of claim 14 , wherein the knife comprises a first flange, a second flange, and a cutting portion.

16. The end effector of claim 14 , further comprising an alignment mechanism operably configured to facilitate alignment between the anvil and the cartridge when the end effector transitions from an open position to a closed position.