Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A cartridge for holding surgical staples and suture comprising: a cartridge housing defining a) an interior portion, b) a central longitudinal slot for permitting passage of a longitudinally extending suture out of said cartridge housing, and c) a plurality of staple receiving slots for permitting passage of staples out of said cartridge; a staple base within said housing for releasably holding staples; a retainer plate within said housing, said retainer plate having a plurality of hooks for releasably engaging said staples; and a staple pusher bar within said housing for closing said staples, said staple pusher bar being longitudinally movable from an open position wherein said staples are open to a closed position wherein said staples are closed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
118 words
A cartridge for holding surgical staples and suture comprising: a cartridge housing defining a) an interior portion, b) a central longitudinal slot for permitting passage of a longitudinally extending suture out of said cartridge housing, and c) a plurality of staple receiving slots for permitting passage of staples out of said cartridge; a staple base within said housing for releasably holding staples; a retainer plate within said housing, said retainer plate having a plurality of hooks for releasably engaging said staples; and a staple pusher bar within said housing for closing said staples, said staple pusher bar being longitudinally movable from an open position wherein said staples are open to a closed position wherein said staples are closed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cartridge in accordance with claim 1 wherein said retainer plate is movable from an engaged position to a disengaged position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
A cartridge in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cartridge housing defines a wall for releasably containing a suture string.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
A cartridge in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cartridge housing defines a plurality of wells for releasably containing a suture.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A cartridge in accordance with claim 4 wherein the number of said wells is in the range of about two to about ten.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
107 words
A staple cartridge, comprising: a plurality of staples and an elongated housing including a tissue engaging surface, a plurality of transverse slots extending into said housing from said tissue engaging surface for receiving an individual staple therein, and an elongated central slot for receiving a purse string suture attached to each of the staples, said central slot extending longitudinally along said housing and intersecting said transverse slots; and a staple pusher bar slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, and for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface to secure the staples and the purse string suture to the tissue.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
107 words
A staple cartridge, comprising: a plurality of staples and an elongated housing including a tissue engaging surface, a plurality of transverse slots extending into said housing from said tissue engaging surface for receiving an individual staple therein, and an elongated central slot for receiving a purse string suture attached to each of the staples, said central slot extending longitudinally along said housing and intersecting said transverse slots; and a staple pusher bar slidably mounted for longitudinal movement in said housing, and for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface to secure the staples and the purse string suture to the tissue.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
64 words
The staple cartridge of claim 6, wherein: said pusher bar includes a series of opposed pairs of wedge-shaped protrusions corresponding to the staple receiving slots formed in said housing, each pair of wedge-shaped protrusions for engaging and bending a leg of a staple toward the tissue clamping surface into an overlapped configuration when said staple pusher bar is moved longitudinally relative to said housing.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
47 words
The staple cartridge of claim 7, wherein: each wedge-shaped protrusion has a staple forming edge slanted inwardly toward the center of said staple pusher bar for engaging and bending the staple legs inwardly toward each other as said staple pusher bar is moved relative to said cartridge.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The staple cartridge of claim 6, wherein: each staple receiving slot is located between a pair of ridges which extend upwardly from the top of the housing.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The staple cartridge of claim 9, wherein: each pair of ridges is separated by a depression from the next adjacent pair of ridges.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
39 words
The staple cartridge of claim 9, wherein: said elongated central slot opens into a longitudinal V-shaped groove defined by inclined surfaces which are sloped upwardly and outwardly from the central slot and terminate at the top of said ridges.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
52 words
The staple cartridge of claim 6, wherein: each staple includes an eyelet which extends in the opposite direction from the staple legs for receiving the purse string suture; and said housing includes a plurality of recesses at the bottom of said staple receiving slots for receiving the eyelets of the staples therein.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
254 words
A surgical instrument for applying a plurality of staples attached to a purse string suture to tissue, comprising: a plurality of staples; a pair of elongated handles pivotally connected together, said handles supporting a pair of jaws for receiving the tissue therebetween; a pair of staple cartridges mounted on said jaws, said cartridges having opposed tissue clamping surfaces for clamping the tissue therebetween; a row of staple receiving slots formed in each of said cartridges, each slot receiving a staple with its legs pointing toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge; a central slot extending along said tissue clamping surface of each staple cartridge for receiving a purse string suture connected to the staples in each of said staple receiving slots; a staple pusher bar slidably mounted in each cartridge for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge upon movement of said staple pusher bar relative to said cartridge; and actuating means on one of said handles for sliding the pusher bar in each staple cartridge to bend the staple legs and secure the staples and the purse string suture to the tissue clamped between said cartridges; wherein said actuating means comprises: a staple actuating lever pivotally mounted on one of said handles; means for connecting said staple actuating lever to the staple pusher bar in each of said cartridges; and said staple actuating lever being manually pivotable to displace said connecting means to move the staple pusher bar in each of said cartridges.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
254 words
A surgical instrument for applying a plurality of staples attached to a purse string suture to tissue, comprising: a plurality of staples; a pair of elongated handles pivotally connected together, said handles supporting a pair of jaws for receiving the tissue therebetween; a pair of staple cartridges mounted on said jaws, said cartridges having opposed tissue clamping surfaces for clamping the tissue therebetween; a row of staple receiving slots formed in each of said cartridges, each slot receiving a staple with its legs pointing toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge; a central slot extending along said tissue clamping surface of each staple cartridge for receiving a purse string suture connected to the staples in each of said staple receiving slots; a staple pusher bar slidably mounted in each cartridge for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge upon movement of said staple pusher bar relative to said cartridge; and actuating means on one of said handles for sliding the pusher bar in each staple cartridge to bend the staple legs and secure the staples and the purse string suture to the tissue clamped between said cartridges; wherein said actuating means comprises: a staple actuating lever pivotally mounted on one of said handles; means for connecting said staple actuating lever to the staple pusher bar in each of said cartridges; and said staple actuating lever being manually pivotable to displace said connecting means to move the staple pusher bar in each of said cartridges.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
48 words
The surgical instrument of claim 13, which includes; a locking member pivotally mounted on one of said handles and movable between a first position in which said staple actuating lever is locked against movement and a second position in which said staple actuating lever is unlocked for movement.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
217 words
A surgical instrument for applying a purse string suture to tissue, comprising: a pair of staple cartridges having opposed tissue clamping surfaces for clamping the tissue therebetween; a row of staple receiving slots formed in each of said cartridges, each slot being adapted to receive a staple with its legs pointing toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge; a central slot extending along said tissue clamping surface of each staple cartridge for receiving a purse string suture connected to the staples in each of said staple receiving slots; a staple pusher bar slidably mounted in each cartridge for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge upon movement of said staple pusher bar relative to said cartridge; and actuating means for sliding the pusher bar in each staple cartridge to bend the staple legs and secure the staples and purse string suture to the tissue clamped between said cartridges; wherein said pusher bar includes a series of opposed pairs of wedge-shaped protrusions corresponding to the staple receiving slots in said cartridge, each pair of wedge-shaped protrusions being adapted to engage and bend the legs of the staple toward the tissue clamping surface into an overlapped configuration when said staple pusher bar is moved longitudinally relative to said cartridge.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
217 words
A surgical instrument for applying a purse string suture to tissue, comprising: a pair of staple cartridges having opposed tissue clamping surfaces for clamping the tissue therebetween; a row of staple receiving slots formed in each of said cartridges, each slot being adapted to receive a staple with its legs pointing toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge; a central slot extending along said tissue clamping surface of each staple cartridge for receiving a purse string suture connected to the staples in each of said staple receiving slots; a staple pusher bar slidably mounted in each cartridge for engaging and bending the legs of each staple toward the tissue clamping surface of said cartridge upon movement of said staple pusher bar relative to said cartridge; and actuating means for sliding the pusher bar in each staple cartridge to bend the staple legs and secure the staples and purse string suture to the tissue clamped between said cartridges; wherein said pusher bar includes a series of opposed pairs of wedge-shaped protrusions corresponding to the staple receiving slots in said cartridge, each pair of wedge-shaped protrusions being adapted to engage and bend the legs of the staple toward the tissue clamping surface into an overlapped configuration when said staple pusher bar is moved longitudinally relative to said cartridge.