Pivoting anvil for surgical circular stapler

摘要

A circular stapler apparatus for stapling tissue has a circular stapling head operable to drive staples toward an anvil to form the staples in a circular array. The anvil includes an anvil head, a proximal shaft extending proximally from the anvil head and having a proximal end disposed in a first plane, and a first pivot connecting the anvil head to the proximal shaft. The first pivot is operable to be disposed in a second plane that is laterally offset from the first plane. The anvil is configured to rotate via movement through multiple pivot points. The anvil may be configured to rotate to a position in which a portion of the anvil head is disposed below the first pivot and between the first pivot and the proximal shaft such that the anvil head is acutely angled with respect to a longitudinal axis of the proximal shaft.

主权项

1. A circular stapler apparatus for stapling tissue, the apparatus comprising:
(a) a stapling head assembly; (b) an anvil configured to form staples advanced by the stapling head assembly, the anvil comprising:
(i) an anvil head comprising a proximal face,(ii) a proximal shaft, wherein the proximal shaft extends proximally from the anvil head and has a longitudinal axis, wherein the proximal shaft terminates at a free end located at a first position; and(iii) a first pivot directly connecting the anvil head to the proximal shaft, wherein the first pivot is located at a second position, and wherein the second position is distal to the first position, wherein the first pivot defines a first pivot axis;wherein the anvil head is configured to rotate about the first pivot axis to a tilted position in which the proximal face is oriented distally and the proximal face of the anvil head defines a distally opening acute angle with the longitudinal axis of the proximal shaft, wherein the vertex of the acute angle is located at a third position, wherein the third position is distal to the first position, and wherein the third position is proximal to the second position.