US 11,701,109 B2
Surgical stapler with sloped staple deck for varying tissue compression
Ryan P. Posey, Cincinnati, OH (US); Nicholas D. Courtwright, Villa Hills, KY (US); Stephen D. Geresy, West Chester, OH (US); Kevin D. Sackett, Independence, KY (US); and Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Hillsboro, OH (US)
Assigned to Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed by Cilag GmbH International, Zug (CH)
Filed on Dec. 28, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/234,740.
Prior Publication US 2020/0205811 A1, Jul. 2, 2020
Int. Cl. A61B 17/072 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/072 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/07221 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07257 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07264 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07271 (2013.01); A61B 2017/07285 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A cartridge for use with a surgical instrument, the cartridge comprising:
(a) a curved body;
(b) a deck defined by the curved body, wherein the deck includes an elongate side edge and is configured to clamp tissue against an anvil;
(c) a plurality of staple openings formed in the deck, wherein the staple openings are configured to house a plurality of staples;
(d) a plurality of discrete stand-off members arranged on the deck and configured to engage tissue; and
(e) an arcuate slot formed in the deck, wherein the arcuate slot is configured to slidably receive a cutting member therethrough along a longitudinal axis that extends distally,
wherein the deck includes a sloped deck portion that slopes away at a constant angle from the arcuate slot to the elongate side edge along either side of the entire length of the arcuate slot, wherein the sloped deck portion is configured to provide varied compression of tissue across a width of the deck, and
wherein the discrete stand-off members are disposed on the sloped deck portion and collectively terminate distally at a plane orthogonal to the longitudinal axis such that the discrete stand-off members vary in height relative to the sloped deck portion,
wherein the plurality of discrete stand-off members includes an inner plurality of stand-off members and an outer plurality of stand-off members, wherein the outer plurality of stand-off members extends further away from the sloped deck portion than the inner plurality of stand-off members.