| 摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surgical instrument by which buttress materials can be securely deployed on each side of a tissue stapled and severed and the the buttress materials can be easily deployed by the instrument. <P>SOLUTION: A surgical instrument 10 for being endoscopically or laparoscopically inserted to a surgical site for simultaneous stapling and severing of the tissue includes electrically actuated deployment of buttress pads 22, 24 held on inner surfaces of upper and lower jaws 26, 28 of a staple applying assembly 16. Thereby, thick or thin layers may be stapled and severed without improper staple formation nor with nonoptimal deployment of the buttress pads 22, 24. Electric field active polymer (EAP) actuated latches, an EAP channel, or a rigid channel with an EAP pinch lock reliably hold the buttress 22, 24. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI |
