Stapling instrument comprising a plurality of staple cartridges stored therein

摘要

A surgical stapling instrument can comprise an end effector configured to receive a staple cartridge, a shaft including a plurality of staple cartridges positioned therein, and a staple cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance the staple cartridges from the shaft into the end effector. In various embodiments, the staple cartridges can comprise different configurations which can be arranged within the shaft such that they are supplied in a specific predetermined order.

主权项

1. A surgical stapling instrument, comprising:
a handle comprising a trigger; a shaft extending distally from said handle; a firing member operably coupled with said trigger such that a firing motion can be transferred from said trigger to said firing member to move said firing member along a firing path; a first staple cartridge positioned within said shaft, wherein said first staple cartridge comprises:
a first cartridge body comprising a plurality of first apertures positioned in a first longitudinal row; anda plurality of first staples each comprising at least one first staple leg positioned in a said first aperture, wherein said first staple legs are slidable within said first apertures, and wherein said first staple legs comprise a first length; a staged second staple cartridge positioned within said shaft behind said first staple cartridge, wherein said second staple cartridge comprises:
a second cartridge body comprising a plurality of second apertures positioned in a second longitudinal row, wherein said second longitudinal row is longitudinally aligned with said first longitudinal row; anda plurality of second staples each comprising at least one second staple leg positioned in a said second aperture, wherein said second staple legs are longitudinally aligned with said first staple legs, wherein said second staple legs are slidable within said second apertures, and wherein said second staple legs comprise a second length which is different than said first length of said longitudinally aligned first staple legs thereby making said second staple cartridge different than said first staple cartridge; a first jaw comprising a channel configured to receive a said staple cartridge; a second jaw comprising an anvil configured to deform said staples; and a cartridge driver configured to sequentially advance said first and second staple cartridges into said channel from a staging position.