Disposable motor-driven loading unit for use with a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus

[0001] The present invention relates in general to endoscopic surgical instruments including, but not limited to, surgical cutting and stapling apparatuses that have disposable loading units that are capable of applying lines of staples to tissue while cutting the tissue between those staple lines and, more particularly, to improvements relating to such disposable loading units.

[0002] Endoscopic surgical instruments are often preferred over traditional open surgical devices since a smaller incision tends to reduce the post-operative recovery time and complications. Consequently, significant development has gone into a range of endoscopic surgical instruments that are suitable for precise placement of a distal end effector at a desired surgical site through a cannula of a trocar. These distal end effectors engage the tissue in a number of ways to achieve a diagnostic or therapeutic effect (e.g., endocutter, grasper, cutter, staplers, clip applier, access device, drug/gene therapy delivery device, and energy device using ultrasound, RF, laser, etc.).

[0003] Known surgical staplers include an end effector that simultaneously makes a longitudinal incision in tissue and applies lines of staples on opposing sides of the incision. The end effector includes a pair of cooperating jaw members that, if the instrument is intended for endoscopic or laparoscopic applications, are capable of passing through a cannula passageway. One of the jaw members supports a staple cartridge that has at least two laterally spaced rows of staples. The other jaw member defines an anvil having staple-forming pockets aligned with the rows of staples in the cartridge. The instrument commonly includes a plurality of reciprocating wedges which, when driven distally, pass through openings in the staple cartridge and engage drivers supporting the staples to effect the firing of the staples toward the anvil.

[0004] One type of surgical stapling apparatus is configured to operate with disposable loading units (DLU's) that are constructed to support a staple cartridge and knife assembly therein. Once the procedure is completed, the entire DLU is discarded. Such instruments that are designed to accommodate DLU's purport to offer the advantage of a “fresh” knife blade for each firing of the instrument. Examples of such surgical stapling apparatuses and DLU's are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361 to Milliman et al., the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0005] Such prior disposable loading units, however, require the clinician to continuously ratchet the handle to fire the staples and cut the tissue. There is a need for a surgical stapling apparatus configured for use with a disposable loading unit that is driven by a motor contained in the disposable loading unit.

[0006] In one general aspect of various embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a disposable loading unit for attachment to a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus. In various embodiments, the disposable loading unit may comprise a carrier that supports a staple cartridge therein. An anvil assembly may be movably coupled to the carrier for selective movable travel between open and closed positions relative to the staple cartridge. An axial drive assembly may be supported within the carrier such that it can move in a distal direction from a start position to an end position through the carrier and the staple cartridge. The axial drive assembly may also be retracted in a proximal direction from the end position back to the start position. A motor may be supported within the carrier and constructed to drive the axial drive assembly in the distal and proximal directions. A battery may be supported within the carrier and be coupled to the motor for supplying power thereto.

[0007] In still another general aspect of various embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a disposable loading unit for attachment to a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus. In various embodiments, the disposable loading unit includes a carrier that supports a staple cartridge therein. An anvil assembly may be movably coupled to the carrier for selective movable travel between open and closed positions relative to the staple cartridge. A housing may be coupled to the carrier and be configured for removable operable attachment to the surgical stapling apparatus. An axial drive assembly may be supported within the carrier and the housing to move in a distal direction from a start position to an end position through the carrier and the staple cartridge. The axial drive assembly may also be retracted in a proximal direction from the end position to the start position. A motor may be supported within the carrier and configured to interface with the axial drive assembly to drive the axial drive assembly in the distal and proximal directions. A battery may be supported within the carrier and be coupled to the motor for supplying power thereto. The battery may be selectively movable between a disconnected position and connected positions in response to motions applied thereto by a portion of the surgical stapling apparatus.

[0008] In another general aspect of various embodiments of the present invention, there is provided a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus. Various embodiments of the instrument may include a handle assembly that operably supports a drive assembly therein that is constructed to impart drive motions and a retraction motion. A movable handle portion may be operably supported on the handle assembly and configured to interface with the drive system such that manipulation of the movable handle causes the drive system to impart the drive motions. An elongated body may protrude from the handle assembly and have a distal end that is couplable to a disposable loading unit. In various embodiments, the disposable loading unit may comprise a carrier that has a staple cartridge supported therein. An anvil assembly may be movably coupled to the carrier for selective movable travel between open and closed positions relative to the staple cartridge. An axial drive assembly may be supported within the carrier such that the axial drive assembly may move in a distal direction from a start position to an end position through the carrier and the staple cartridge and also in a proximal direction from the end position to the start position. A motor may be supported within the carrier and configured to interface with the axial drive assembly to drive the axial drive assembly in the distal and proximal directions. A battery may be supported within the carrier and be coupled to the motor for supplying power thereto. The battery may be configured to interface with a portion of the elongated body to receive the drive motions therefrom upon manipulation of the moveable handle.

[0009] These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.

[0023] Turning to the Drawings, wherein like numerals denote like components throughout the several views, FIG. 1 depicts a disposable loading unit 16 of the present invention that is coupled to a conventional surgical cutting and stapling apparatus 10. The construction and general operation of a cutting and stapling apparatus 10 is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361, the disclosure of which has been herein incorporated by reference. Thus, the present Detailed Description will not discuss the various components of the apparatus 10 and their operation herein beyond what is necessary to describe the operation of the disposable loading unit 16 of the present invention.

[0024] As the present Detailed Description proceeds, it will be appreciated that the terms “proximal” and “distal” are used herein with reference to a clinician gripping a handle assembly 12 of the surgical stapling apparatus 10 to which the disposable loading unit 16 is attached. Thus, the disposable loading unit 16 is distal with respect to the more proximal handle assembly 12. It will be further appreciated that, for convenience and clarity, spatial terms such as “vertical”, “horizontal”, “up”, “down”, “right”, and “left” are used herein with respect to the drawings. However, surgical instruments are used in many orientations and positions, and these terms are not intended to be limiting and absolute.

[0025] As can be seen in FIG. 1, the disposable loading unit 16 may generally comprise a tool assembly 17 for performing surgical procedures such as cutting tissue and applying staples on each side of the cut. The tool assembly 17 may include a cartridge assembly 18 that includes a staple cartridge 220 that is supported in a carrier 216. An anvil assembly 20 may be pivotally coupled to the carrier 216 in a known manner for selective pivotal travel between open and closed positions. The anvil assembly 20 includes an anvil portion 204 that has a plurality of staple deforming concavities (not shown) formed in the undersurface thereof. The staple cartridge 220 houses a plurality of pushers or drivers (not shown) that each have a staple or staples (not shown) supported thereon. An actuation sled 234 is supported within the tool assembly 17 and is configured to drive the pushers and staples in the staple cartridge 220 in a direction toward the anvil assembly 20 as the actuation sled 234 is driven from the proximal end of the tool assembly 17 to the distal end 220. See FIG. 2.

[0026] The disposable loading unit 16 may further include an axial drive assembly 212 that comprises a drive beam 266 that may be constructed from a single sheet of material or, preferably, from multiple stacked sheets. However, the drive beam 266 may be constructed from other suitable material configurations. The distal end of drive beam 266 may include a vertical support strut 271 which supports a knife blade 280 and an abutment surface 283 which engages the central portion of actuation sled 234 during a stapling procedure. Knife blade 280 may be generally positioned to translate slightly behind actuation sled 234 through a central longitudinal slot in staple cartridge 220 to form an incision between rows of stapled body tissue. A retention flange 284 may project distally from vertical strut 271 and support a camming pin or pins 286 at its distal end. Camming pin 286 may be dimensioned and configured to engage camming surface 209 on anvil portion 204 to clamp anvil portion 204 against body tissue. See FIGS. 5 and 7. In addition, a leaf spring (not shown) may be provided between the proximal end of the anvil portion 204 and the distal end portion of the housing 200 to bias the anvil assembly 20 to a normally open position. The carrier 216 may also have an elongated bottom slot therethrough through which a portion of the vertical support strut 271 extends to have a support member 287 attached thereto

[0027] As can also be seen in FIG. 1, the disposable loading unit 16 may also have a housing portion 200 that is adapted to snap onto or otherwise be attached to the carrier 216. The proximal end 500 of housing 200 may include engagement nubs 254 for releasably engaging elongated body 14 of a surgical stapling apparatus. Nubs 254 form a bayonet type coupling with the distal end of the elongated body portion 14 of the surgical stapling apparatus as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361.

[0028] The housing 200 may further include a switch portion 520 that movably houses a battery 526 therein. More specifically and with reference to FIG. 3, the switch portion 520 of the housing 200 defines a battery cavity 522 that movably supports a battery holder 524 that houses a battery 526 therein. As can be seen in FIG. 3, a first battery contact 528 is supported in electrical contact with the battery 526 and protrudes out through the battery holder 524 for sliding engagement with the inside wall 523 of the battery cavity 522. Similarly, a second battery contact 530 is mounted in electrical contact with the battery 526 and also protrudes out of the battery holder 524 to slide along the inside wall 523 of the battery cavity 522. The battery holder 524 has a control rod socket 532 therein configured to receive the distal end 276 of control rod 52 when the proximal end of disposable loading unit 16 is coupled to the elongated body 14 of surgical stapling apparatus 10. As can also be seen in FIG. 3, a series of contacts 540, 542, 544 may be oriented within the wall 523 for contact with the battery contacts 530. The purpose of the contacts 540, 542, and 544 will be discussed in further detail below. As can also be seen in FIG. 3, a biasing member or switch spring 550 is positioned within the battery cavity 522 to bias the battery holder 524 in the proximal direction “PD” such that when the disposable reload 16 is not attached to the elongated body 14, the battery holder 524 is biased to its proximal-most position shown in FIG. 3. When retained in that “pre-use” or “disconnected” position by spring 550, the battery contacts 528 and 530 do not contact any of the contacts 540, 542, 544 within the battery cavity 522 to prevent the battery 526 from being drained during non-use.

[0029] As can also be seen in FIG. 3, the housing 200 may further have a motor cavity 560 therein that houses a motor 562 and a gear box 564. The gear box 564 has an output shaft 566 that protrudes through a hole 572 in a proximal bulkhead 570 formed in the housing 200. See FIG. 5. The output shaft 566 is keyed onto or otherwise non-rotatably coupled to a thrust disc 580. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the thrust disc 580 is rotatably supported within a thrust disc cavity 582 formed between the proximal bulkhead 570 and a distal bulkhead 590 formed in the housing 200. In addition, the thrust disc 580 is rotatably supported between a proximal thrust bearing 583 and a distal thrust bearing 584 as shown. As can also be seen in FIG. 5, the thrust disc 580 may be formed on a proximal end of a drive screw 600 that threadedly engages a drive nut 610 that is supported within an engagement section 270 formed on the distal end of the drive beam 266. In various embodiments, the engagement section 270 may include a pair of engagement fingers 270a and 270b that are dimensioned and configured to be received within a slot in the drive nut 610 to non-rotatably affix the drive nut 610 to the drive beam 266. Thus, rotation of the drive screw 600 within the drive nut 610 will drive the drive beam 266 in the distal direction “DD” or in the proximal direction “PD” depending upon the direction of rotation of the drive screw 600.

[0030] The disposable loading unit 16 may further include a return switch 630 that is mounted in the housing 200 and is adapted to be actuated by the knife nut 610. As can also be seen in FIG. 5, a switch 640 is mounted in the housing 200 and is also oriented to be actuated by the knife nut 610 to indicate when the anvil assembly 20 has been closed. A switch 650 is mounted in the housing 200 and is also adapted to be actuated by the knife nut 610 to indicate that the axial drive assembly 212 has moved to is finished position. The specific operations of switches 630, 640, 650 will be discussed in further detail below.

[0031] FIG. 4 illustrates a circuit embodiment 700 of the present invention that illustrates the positions of various components of the disposable loading unit 16 of the present invention when in a “pre-use” condition. For example, the various components of the disposable loading unit 16 may be in this pre-use orientation when the unit 16 is being stored or shipped. As can be seen in that Figure, when in this orientation, the battery contacts 528 and 530 do not contact any of the contacts 540, 542, 544 in the housing 200 which prevents the battery 526 from being drained during non-use.

[0032] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate the positions of various components of the disposable loading unit 16 after it has been coupled to the elongated body 14 of the surgical cutting and stapling instrument 10. In particular, as can be seen in FIG. 5, the distal end 276 of the control rod 52 has been coupled to the battery holder 524. When the control rod 52 is attached to the battery holder 524, the battery holder 524 is moved in the distal direction “DD” against the spring 550 such that the battery contacts 528, 530 are brought into contact with the return contacts 540 in the housing 200. Also, when in that position, the knife nut 610 actuates the return switch 630 into an open orientation. It will be appreciated that the return switch 630 is a normally closed switch that is actuated to the open position by the knife nut 610. As shown in FIG. 6, when the return switch 630 is open, the motor 562 is not powered.

[0033] FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the positions of various components of the disposable loading unit 16 after the clinician has actuated the movable handle 24 (shown in FIG. 1) of the surgical cutting and stapling instrument 10. As discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361, when the movable handle 24 is initially moved toward the stationary handle member 22, the control rod 52 is caused to move in the distal direction “DD”. As can be seen in FIG. 7, as the control rod 52 is initially moved in the distal direction during the anvil close stroke, the battery holder 524 moves the battery 526 to a position wherein the battery contacts 528, 530 contact the anvil close contacts 542. Power is now permitted to flow from the battery 526 to the motor 562 which rotates the drive screw 600 and causes the drive beam 266 to move distally. As the drive beam 266 moves distally in the “DD” direction, the camming pin 286 engages cam portion 209 of anvil portion 204 and causes the anvil assembly 20 to pivot to a closed position as illustrated in FIG. 7. As the drive beam 266 moves distally to the anvil closed position, the knife nut 610 moves out of contact with the return switch 630 which permits the return switch to resume its normally open position. The knife nut 610 then actuates the anvil closed switch 640 and moves it to an open position. See FIG. 8. In various embodiments one or more anvil closed lights 660 may be mounted in the housing 200 for providing a visual indication to the clinician that the anvil assembly 20 has been moved to the closed position.

[0034] When the clinician desires to fire the instrument 10 (i.e., actuate the instrument 10 to cause it to cut and staple tissue), the clinician first depresses the plunger 82 of the firing lockout assembly 80 (FIG. 1) as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361. Thereafter, movable handle 24 may be actuated. As the movable handle 24 is depressed, the control rod 52 moves the battery holder 524 and battery 526 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10. As can be seen in those Figures, when the battery 526 is moved into that position, the battery contacts 528, 530 are brought into contact with the fire contacts 544. The switch 650 is normally closed until it is actuated by the knife nut 610. Thus, when the battery contacts 528, 530 contact the firing contacts 544, power flows from the battery 526 to the motor 562 which drives the drive screw 600. As the drive screw 600 is rotated, the drive beam 266 and knife nut 610 are driven in the distal direction “DD” to advance actuation sled 234 through staple cartridge 220 to effect ejection of staples and cutting of tissue. Once the drive beam 266 reaches the end of the firing stroke (i.e., all of the staples in the staple cartridge 220 have been fired), knife nut 610 is positioned to actuate the normally closed switch 650 and move it to an open position (illustrated in FIG. 10) which stops the flow of power from the battery 526 to the motor 562. In various embodiments, a distal indication light or lights 670 may be mounted on the housing 200 to provide an indication to the clinician that the drive beam 266 has reached its distal-most fired position.

[0035] To retract the drive beam 266, the clinician grasps the retract knobs 32 (shown in FIG. 1) on the handle assembly 12 and pulls them in the proximal direction “PD”. The operation and construction of the retract knobs 32 is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,865,361. Once the clinician moves the drive beam 266 a sufficient distance in the proximal direction “PD” so as to move the battery to contacts 540 (FIG. 11), power will be supplied through switch 630 to reverse the motor 562. Knife nut then releases switch 650. The motor 562 then drives the drive beam 266 distal to switch 630, which opens. The return switch 630 is also in its normally closed position thereby permitting power to flow to the motor 562 and rotate the drive screw 610 in an opposite direction to drive the drive beam 266 in the proximal direction “PD”. Once the knife nut 610 actuates the knife return switch 630, the knife return switch 630 is moved to an open position thereby stopping flow of power from the battery 526 to the motor 562. In various embodiments, a starting light 700 may be mounted in the housing 200 to provide an indication that the drive beam 266 is in the starting position.

[0036] FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate the positions of various components of the disposable loading unit 16 of the present invention when the distal end of the drive beam 266 and blade 280 inadvertently becomes jammed during the firing stroke (i.e., when the blade 280 is being distally advanced through the tissue clamped in the tool assembly 17). To address such occurrence, a current limiter 680 may be provided as shown in FIG. 12. The current limiter 680 serves to turn off the motor 562 when the amount of current that it is drawing exceeds a predetermined threshold. It will be understood that the amount of current that the motor 562 draws during a jam would increase over the amount of current drawn during normal firing operations. Once the current limiter 680 shuts down the motor 562, the clinician can retract the drive beam 266 by grasping the retract knobs 32 (shown in FIG. 1) on the handle assembly 12 and pulling them in the proximal direction “PD” and the motor 562 will drive the drive screw 600 in reverse in the manner described above. Thus, the current limiter 680 serves to stop the motor 562 when the axial drive assembly 212 encounters resistance that exceeds a predetermined amount of resistance which is associated with the predetermined maximum amount of current that the motor 562 should draw under normal operating circumstances. This feature also saves the battery power so the drive beam 266 can be retracted.

[0037] Thus, the disposable loading unit 16 of the present invention comprises a self-contained motor driven disposable loading unit that may be used in connection with conventional surgical cutting and stapling instruments that traditionally required the clinician to manually advance and retract the drive assembly and cutting blade of a disposable loading unit coupled thereto. Various embodiments of the disposable loading unit 16 may be constructed to facilitate the automatic retraction of the axial drive assembly should the blade encounter a predetermined amount of resistance.

[0038] While several embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be apparent, however, that various modifications, alterations and adaptations to those embodiments may occur to persons skilled in the art with the attainment of some or all of the advantages of the invention. For example, according to various embodiments, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component, to perform a given function or functions. This application is therefore intended to cover all such modifications, alterations and adaptations without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosed invention as defined by the appended claims.

[0039] Any patent, publication, or other disclosure material, in whole or in part, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein is incorporated herein only to the extent that the incorporated materials does not conflict with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth in this disclosure. As such, and to the extent necessary, the disclosure as explicitly set forth herein supersedes any conflicting material incorporated herein by reference. Any material, or portion thereof, that is said to be incorporated by reference herein, but which conflicts with existing definitions, statements, or other disclosure material set forth herein will only be incorporated to the extent that no conflict arises between that incorporated material and the existing disclosure material.

[0040] The invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. The embodiments are therefore to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such equivalents, variations and changes which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims be embraced thereby.