SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH ENHANCED KNIFE CLEARANCE

摘要

A surgical instrument having an elongated shaft having a shaft distal end and a shaft proximal end. An end effector is coupled to the shaft distal end and includes opposed jaws. A housing is included in one of the jaws, the housing having a housing proximal end, a housing distal end, an upper surface, a distal garage having lateral surfaces that extend above the upper surface, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the upper surface. A knife member is supported within the housing for movement distally. The knife member is moveable into a predetermined parked position such that a first portion of the cutting blade displaces below the upper surface and a second portion remains displaced above the upper surface. There is enough lateral clearance in the predetermined parked position between the lateral faces and the second portion to accommodate a dislodged staple.

主权项

1. A method of articulating a cutting blade in a surgical instrument, the method comprising:
supporting a knife member having a cutting blade within a housing of the instrument, the housing having an upper surface with a plurality of staple openings, a proximal end, and a distal end; moving the knife member distally from the proximal end of the housing to the distal end of the housing such that the knife member is exposed and above the upper surface during moving the knife member distally, and wherein a plurality of staples exit the upper surface during moving the knife member distally; and placing the knife member into a predetermined parked position at the distal end of the housing such that a first portion of the knife member displaces below the upper surface and a second portion remains displaced above the upper surface, the second portion being laterally faced by a garage that extends above the upper surface, wherein there is enough lateral clearance in the predetermined parked position between the garage and the second portion to accommodate a dislodged staple.