Surgical instrument with sequential clamping and cutting

Abstract

A surgical fastening instrument including a handle portion, an elongated portion, an end effector and a clamp is disclosed. The elongated portion extends distally from the handle portion. The end effector includes a pair of jaws having a tissue contacting surface disposed substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the elongated portion. The end effector is disposed adjacent a distal end of the elongated portion, and at least one of the jaw members is movable with respect to the other between an open position and an approximated position for engaging body tissue therebetween. The clamp has a clamping surface extending substantially transversely from an elongated member and has a height exceeding a height of the elongated member to extend adjacent a side surface of the jaw containing the plurality of fasteners. The clamp is movable from a proximal position to a distal position for engaging body tissue.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 an elongated portion defining a longitudinal axis and having a width extending transverse to the longitudinal axis;   a first jaw member disposed in mechanical cooperation with the elongated portion;   a second jaw member disposed in mechanical cooperation with the elongated portion, wherein the first jaw member is movable between an open position and an approximated position in relation to the second jaw member; and   a clamp disposed adjacent the first jaw member and being movable relative to the first jaw member and the second jaw member, the clamp including a clamping surface having a width extending transverse to the longitudinal axis, the width of the clamping surface exceeding the width of the elongated portion.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is movable in a linear direction relative to the second jaw member. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is movable in a linear direction relative to the first jaw member. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is movable independently of the first jaw member. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising a knife disposed in mechanical cooperation with the first jaw member. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , further comprising a handle disposed adjacent a proximal portion of the elongated portion, wherein the handle includes a first mechanism to move the clamp and a second mechanism to move the first jaw member. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the elongated portion is curved along at least a portion of its length. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein a tissue-contacting surface of each of the first jaw member and the second jaw member is disposed transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is configured to house a plurality of rows of fasteners positioned transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein an entirety of the clamp is disposed externally of the first jaw member. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the second jaw member is fixed from movement with respect to the elongated portion. 
     
     
         12 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the width of the clamping surface of the clamp exceeds a width of the first jaw member, and wherein the width of the first jaw member is defined as being transverse to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         13 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the clamp is fixed from moving toward the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member is movable toward the second jaw member prior to movement of the clamp. 
     
     
         15 . A surgical instrument comprising:
 a first jaw member;   a second jaw member disposed distally of the first jaw member, the first jaw member movable with respect to the second jaw member between an open position and an approximated position;   a plurality of fastener-retention slots disposed in at least one row on the first jaw member; and   a clamp disposed adjacent the first jaw member and being movable with respect to the first jaw member and the second jaw member, the clamp including a clamping surface having a width that exceeds a distance between a center of a first fastener-retention slot and a center of a second fastener-retention slot, the first fastener-retention slot is directly adjacent and within the same row as the second fastener-retention slot.   
     
     
         16 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the width of the clamping surface exceeds a distance between three adjacent fastener-retention slots within a single row. 
     
     
         17 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein the width of the clamping surface exceeds a width of the first jaw member. 
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein an entirety of the clamp is disposed externally of the first jaw member.