Surgical stapling system

Abstract

A system is provided for joining two tubular structures by a surgical stapling procedure. The system includes a series of sizers, a specifically designed graft, a loading unit, a wand, a surgical loop and a stapling instrument. The sizers are for determining the diameter of a target aorta and the availability of a sufficient transected aortic length to perform a stapling procedure. The loading unit holds the graft in position in the body and deploys a circumferential line of staples through the graft and an overlapping end of the aorta. The graft may include a side port by which the loading unit holds the graft during the stapling procedure, and which may be closed once the stapling procedure has been completed. The wand may be used to introduce the loading unit and graft into the body, to position them within the transected aorta, and to hold them in place during the application of the surgical loop. The surgical loop may include a band formed from a flexible material and having a width greater than its thickness so as to facilitate the formation of an annular loop. With the surgical loop holding the aorta and graft in relative overlapping positions, the wand may be removed from the loading unit and the stapling instrument may be assembled thereto. The stapling instrument includes a plurality of anvils which may be closed to form a circle overlying the aorta, and a trigger mechanism for firing the staples. When fired, the staples are deployed radially outward through the graft and aorta, whereupon their free ends are bent inwardly by staple returns on the anvils. As a result, a plurality of staples may be simultaneously deployed quickly and accurately in a circumferential pattern so as to join together two tubular structures. The system may be used in either an open surgical procedure or laparascopically.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60 / 571,738 filed May. 17, 2004, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to a surgical stapling system, and more particularly to a system for joining two tubular structures using surgical staples. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus and method for stapling together two tubular structures either through an open surgical procedure or laparoscopically. [0003] The repair of aortic aneurysms and other aortic defects typically requires major abdominal surgery in which the defective segment of the aorta is removed and replaced with a prosthetic device, such as a synthetic graft. Such procedure ordinarily requires the graft to be sutured to the end of the sectioned aorta or to a felt cuff which has been sutured to the aor...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] The surgical stapler may further include a control mechanism operable

Problems solved by technology

The suturing of the graft to the aorta or the cuff can be a difficult and time-consuming process, requiring the patient's aorta to be clamped shut for extended periods of time.

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