End effectors, surgical stapling devices, and methods of using same

Abstract

An end effector for a medical device includes an anvil and a cartridge. The anvil has an anvil face and a first staple pocket and a second staple pocket, each defined by the anvil face. The first staple pocket includes a first surface having a first depth, and the second staple pocket includes a second surface having a second depth. The cartridge has a first staple having a first height in an open configuration, a first driver, a second staple having a second height in an open configuration, and a second driver. A first staple formation distance is defined by a first distance between the first driver and the first surface of the first staple pocket when the anvil and the cartridge are in a closed position. The first staple formation distance differs from a second staple formation distance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An end effector for a medical device, the end effector comprising:
 (a) an anvil, the anvil comprising;
 (i) a first anvil end; 
 (ii) a second anvil end; 
 (iii) an anvil face; 
 (iv) a first staple pocket defined by the anvil face, wherein the first staple pocket comprises a first surface having a first depth for staple formation; and 
 (v) a second staple pocket defined by the anvil face, wherein the second staple pocket comprises a second surface having a second depth for staple formation; and 
   ( b ) a cartridge coupled with the anvil, wherein the cartridge is operably configured to house a plurality of staples, the cartridge comprising;
 (i) a first cartridge end; 
 (ii) a second cartridge end; 
 (iii) a cartridge face; 
 (iv) a first staple, the first staple having a first height in an open configuration; 
 (v) a first driver, the first driver being operably configured to deploy the first staple, wherein a first staple formation distance is defined by a first distance between the first driver and the first surface of the first staple pocket when the anvil and the cartridge are in a closed position; 
 (vi) a second staple, the second staple having a second height in an open configuration; and 
 (vii) a second driver, the second driver being operably configured to deploy the second staple, wherein a second staple formation distance is defined by a second distance between the second driver and the second surface of the second staple pocket when the anvil and the cartridge are in the closed position, 
   wherein the first driver and the second driver have the same height, the first height of the first staple differs from the second height of the second staple, and the first depth of the first staple pocket differs from the second depth of the second staple pocket, such that the first staple formation distance differs from the second staple formation distance.   
     
     
         2 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the anvil face is angled relative to a portion of the cartridge face. 
     
     
         3 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the first staple and the second staple have a pretzel-shape in a formed configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The end effector of  claim 1 , further comprising a third staple having a third height that differs from that of the first staple and the second staple. 
     
     
         5 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the anvil face comprises a stepped configuration having a first segment and a second segment that are offset. 
     
     
         6 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the first staple formation distance is provided at a proximal end of the end effector and the second staple formation distance is provided at a distal end of the end effector. 
     
     
         7 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the first staple formation distance corresponds with a first longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers, and the second staple formation distance corresponds with a second longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers. 
     
     
         8 . The end effector of  claim 1 , further comprising a first wedge operably configured to actuate the first driver and a second wedge operably configured to actuate the second driver, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge have the same configuration. 
     
     
         9 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein the first staple formation distance is greater than the second staple formation distance. 
     
     
         10 . The end effector of  claim 1 , wherein a first zone of the end effector comprises the first staple formation distance and a second zone of the end effector comprises the second staple formation distance. 
     
     
         11 . The end effector of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of staple formation distances. 
     
     
         12 . An end effector for a medical device, the end effector comprising:
 (a) an anvil that includes a first end, a second end, and an anvil face defining a first staple pocket having a first depth and a second staple pocket having a second depth, and   (b) a cartridge that comprises a first end, a second end, a cartridge face, and a first driver and a second driver, wherein the cartridge is coupled to the anvil;   (c) a first staple having a first length in an open configuration, the first staple being associated with the first driver and the first staple pocket;   (d) a second staple having a second length, the second staple being associated with the second driver and the second staple pocket;   (e) a first staple formation distance including the first driver, the first staple, and the first staple pocket when the anvil and the cartridge are in a closed position; and   (f) a second staple formation distance including the second driver, the second staple, and the second staple pocket when the anvil and the cartridge are in the closed position,   wherein the first driver and the second driver have the same configuration, the first length of the first staple differs from the second length of the second staple, and the first depth of the first staple pocket differs from the second depth of the second staple pocket such that the first staple formation distance differs from the second staple formation distance.   
     
     
         13 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the first end of the cartridge is movably coupled to the first end of the anvil and the second end of the cartridge is movably coupled to the second end of the anvil. 
     
     
         14 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein a portion of the anvil face is angled relative to a portion of the cartridge face. 
     
     
         15 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the anvil face has a stepped configuration including a first segment and a second segment that are offset. 
     
     
         16 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the first staple formation distance is provided at a proximal end of the end effector and the second staple formation distance is provided at a distal end of the end effector. 
     
     
         17 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the first staple formation distance corresponds with a first longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers and the second staple formation distance corresponds with a second longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers. 
     
     
         18 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the first longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers is an outer row and the second longitudinal row of staple pockets and drivers is an inner row. 
     
     
         19 . The end effector of  claim 12 , further comprising a first wedge operably configured to actuate the first driver and a second wedge operably configured to actuate the second driver, wherein the first wedge and the second wedge have the same configuration. 
     
     
         20 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the first staple and the second staple have a pretzel shape in a formed configuration.