摘要 |
<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surgical stapling and severing instrument particularly suited to various endoscopic procedures incorporating a certain handle that produces separate closing and firing motions to actuate a certain end effector. <P>SOLUTION: In this surgical instrument, the handle produces multiple firing strokes in order to reduce the amount of force required to fire (i.e., staple and sever) the end effector. Further, a certain linked transmission mechanism reduces the required handle longitudinal length and also achieves a certain rigid and strong configuration when straightened for firing. Also, a certain traction biased firing mechanism avoids binding in driving a straightened linked rack in cooperation with a certain anti-backup mechanism, with a certain lockout mechanism that prevents releasing a closure trigger during firing. Furthermore, a certain external indication means gives feedback information to a surgeon as to the degree of the progress of firing and also gives certain manual retraction capability. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI |