Dissecting tip for surgical stapler

1. A surgical stapling device comprising:

an elongated body portion;

an end effector connected to the elongated body portion and including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly having a tissue contacting surface, the cartridge assembly having a tissue contacting surface and an outer surface opposite the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the cartridge assembly supporting a plurality of staples therein, the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly having a distal end and defining a plane, wherein the cartridge assembly has an angled surface extending from the distal end of the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly to the outer surface of the cartridge assembly, the angled surface oriented at an angle relative to the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the end effector being pivotally attached to the elongated body portion to facilitate articulation of the end effector relative to the elongate body portion, at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being movably supported in relation to the other between an open position and a clamped position, wherein in the clamped position the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly; and

a tip portion extending distally from, and at an angle relative to, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and towards the tissue contacting plane of the cartridge assembly, the tip portion having a distal end configured to separate tissue and that extends through the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position, wherein an inner surface of the tip portion of the anvil assembly faces and is spaced apart from the angled surface when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in the clamped position.

2. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein a distal end of the tip portion is at least one of rounded and blunt.

3. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the inner surface of the tip portion includes a curve.

4. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein a width of the tip portion at its distal end is less than the width of the tip portion at the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly.

5. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip portion is monolithic with the anvil assembly.

6. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip portion does not extend beyond the outer surface of the cartridge assembly.

7. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the cartridge assembly has sidewalls and the width of the tip portion is less than the width of the sidewalls.

8. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip portion is configured for insertion through a trocar cannula assembly.

9. The surgical stapling device according to claim 1 , wherein the tissue to be separated is a blood or airway vessel.

10. A surgical stapling device comprising:

an elongated body portion;

an end effector connected to the elongated body portion and including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly having a tissue contacting surface, the cartridge assembly having a plurality of linear rows of staples supported therein and having a tissue contacting surface that defines a plane, the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly having a distal end, the cartridge assembly having an angled surface extending from the distal end of the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly to an outer surface of the cartridge assembly, wherein the outer surface of the cartridge assembly is on a side of the cartridge assembly that is opposite the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the angled surface oriented at an angle relative to the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being movably supported in relation to the other between an open position and a clamped position, wherein in the clamped position the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly; and

a tip portion extending distally from the anvil assembly, the tip portion being narrower at a distal end of the tip portion than at a proximal end of the tip portion, the distal end of the tip portion configured to separate tissue, the distal end of the tip portion being positioned between the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly and a plane defined by the outer surface of the cartridge assembly when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in the clamped position, and an inner surface of the tip portion of the anvil assembly being spaced apart from the angled surface of the cartridge assembly when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in the clamped position.

11. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the end effector is pivotally attached to the elongate body portion to facilitate articulation of the end effector relative to the elongate body portion.

12. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the tip portion is monolithic with the anvil assembly.

13. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the tip portion is rounded and/or blunt.

14. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the cartridge assembly has sidewalls and the width of the tip portion is less than the width of the sidewalls.

15. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the tip portion is configured for insertion through a trocar cannula assembly.

16. The surgical stapling device according to claim 10 , wherein the tissue to be separated is a blood or airway vessel.

17. A surgical stapling device comprising:

an end effector including an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly having a tissue contacting surface that defines a plane, the cartridge assembly having a plurality of staples supported therein and having a tissue contacting surface that defines a plane, the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly having a distal end, wherein the cartridge assembly has a distal surface extending from the distal end of the tissue contacting surface to an outer surface of the cartridge assembly, the outer surface being opposite the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the distal surface of the cartridge assembly being oriented at an angle relative to the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly, the end effector being pivotally attached to the elongated body portion to facilitate articulation of the end effector relative to the elongate body portion, at least one of the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly being movably supported in relation to the other between an open position and a clamped position, wherein in the clamped position the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly is approximated relative to the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly; and

a tip portion extending distally from, and at an angle relative to, the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly and towards the tissue contacting plane of the cartridge assembly, the tip portion configured to separate tissue and having a portion that extends through the plane defined by the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly when the end effector is in the clamped position, an inner surface of the tip portion facing towards, and being spaced apart from, the distal surface of the cartridge assembly when the anvil assembly and the cartridge assembly are in the clamped position.

18. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , further comprising an elongated body portion, the end effector pivotally attached to the elongated body portion to facilitate articulation of the end effector relative to the elongate body portion.

19. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein a width of the tip portion at its distal end is less than the width of the tip portion at the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly.

20. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein the tip portion is monolithic with the anvil assembly.

21. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein the tip portion does not extend beyond the outer surface of the cartridge assembly.

22. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein the cartridge assembly has sidewalls and the tip portion is laterally within the sidewalls.

23. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein the tip portion is configured for insertion through a trocar cannula assembly.

24. The surgical stapling device according to claim 17 , wherein the tissue to be separated is a blood or airway vessel.