Staple cartridge assembly comprising various tissue compression gaps and staple forming gaps

Abstract

An end effector including an anvil and a staple cartridge assembly is disclosed. The staple cartridge assembly comprises a deck having steps defined thereon for compressing tissue positioned between the anvil and the staple cartridge assembly to different pressures. The staple cartridge assembly further comprises staples having different unformed heights removably stored therein. The staples are deformed against the anvil to different formed heights.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A staple cartridge assembly, comprising:
 a cartridge body, comprising:
 a deck; 
 a first longitudinal row of staple cavities; 
 a second longitudinal row of staple cavities; 
   a plurality of first staples, wherein each said first staple is removably stored in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein each said first staple comprises a unitary structure including:
 a first base including a first drive surface; and 
 a first staple leg extending from said first base and including a first tip, wherein a first unformed distance is defined between said first drive surface and said first tip; 
   a plurality of second staples, wherein each said second staple is removably stored in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein each said second staple comprises a unitary structure including:
 a second base including a second drive surface; and 
 a second staple leg extending from said second base and including a second tip, wherein a second unformed distance is defined between said second drive surface and said second tip which is different than said first unformed distance; and 
   a firing member configured to directly engage said first staples and said second staples.   
     
     
         2 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first staples and said second staples are formed from a sheet of metal. 
     
     
         3 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein each said first base includes a first tissue supporting surface, wherein a first tissue capture distance is defined between said first tissue supporting surface and said first tip, wherein each said second base includes a second tissue supporting surface, wherein a second tissue capture distance is defined between said second tissue supporting surface and said second tip, and wherein said first tissue capture distance is different than said second tissue capture distance. 
     
     
         4 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said deck comprises a first deck height along said first longitudinal row of staple cavities and a second deck height along second said longitudinal row of staple cavities which is different than said first deck height. 
     
     
         5 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 4 , wherein said cartridge body further comprises a longitudinal slot configured to receive a cutting member, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said longitudinal slot, wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein said second deck height is shorter than said first deck height. 
     
     
         6 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said cartridge body further comprises a longitudinal slot configured to receive a cutting member, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said longitudinal slot, and wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said first longitudinal row of staple cavities. 
     
     
         7 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 6 , wherein said first unformed distance is shorter than said second unformed distance. 
     
     
         8 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising an anvil configured to deform said staples. 
     
     
         9 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said anvil is configured to deform said first staples to a first deformed height and said second staples to a second deformed height which is different than said first deformed height. 
     
     
         10 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said cartridge body is movable toward said anvil to clamp tissue between said anvil and said deck of said cartridge body. 
     
     
         11 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said anvil is movable toward said cartridge body to clamp tissue between said anvil and said deck of said cartridge body. 
     
     
         12 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising staple cavity extenders extending from said deck. 
     
     
         13 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 12 , further comprising an implantable layer positioned over said deck. 
     
     
         14 . A staple cartridge assembly, comprising:
 a cartridge body, comprising:
 a deck; 
 a first longitudinal row of staple cavities; 
 a second longitudinal row of staple cavities; 
   a plurality of first staples, wherein each said first staple is removably stored in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein each said first staple comprises a unitary structure including:
 a first base including a first drive surface and a first tissue supporting surface; and 
 a first staple leg extending from said first base including a first tip, wherein a first tissue capture distance is defined between said first tissue supporting surface and said first tip; 
   a plurality of second staples, wherein each said second staple is removably stored in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein each said second staple comprises a unitary structure including:
 a second base including a second drive surface and a second tissue supporting surface; and 
 a second staple leg extending from said second base including a second tip, wherein a second tissue capture distance is defined between said second tissue supporting surface and said second tip which is different than said first tissue capture distance; and 
   a firing member configured to directly engage said first staples and said second staples.   
     
     
         15 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said deck comprises a first deck height along said first longitudinal row of staple cavities and a second deck height along second said longitudinal row of staple cavities which is different than said first deck height. 
     
     
         16 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 15 , wherein said cartridge body further comprises a longitudinal slot configured to receive a cutting member, wherein said first longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said longitudinal slot, wherein said second longitudinal row of staple cavities is adjacent said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, and wherein said second deck height is shorter than said first deck height. 
     
     
         17 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 14 , further comprising an anvil configured to deform said staples. 
     
     
         18 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said anvil is configured to deform said first staples to a first deformed height and said second staples to a second deformed height which is different than said first deformed height. 
     
     
         19 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 17 , wherein said cartridge body is movable toward said anvil to clamp tissue between said anvil and said deck of said cartridge body. 
     
     
         20 . A staple cartridge assembly, comprising:
 a cartridge body comprising a first longitudinal row of staple cavities and a second longitudinal row of staple cavities;   a plurality of first staples removably stored in said first longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein each said first staple is comprised of stamped metal and includes an integrally-formed metal driver;   a plurality of second staples removably stored in said second longitudinal row of staple cavities, wherein each said second staple is comprised of stamped metal and includes an integrally-formed metal driver; and   means for forming said first staples to a first deformed height and said second staples to a second deformed height, wherein said first deformed height is different than said second deformed height.