Staple cartridge for a curved cutter stapler

• Main Authors: SCHWEMBERGER RICHARD F, WUKUSICK PETER M
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 12.10.2005
• Edition: 7
• Subjects: DIAGNOSIS; HUMAN NECESSITIES; HYGIENE; IDENTIFICATION; MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; SURGERY

A surgical instrument adapted for applying a plurality of surgical fasteners to body tissue, the surgical instrument comprising: an anvil; a cartridge housing containing a plurality of surgical fasteners and a knife, the cartridge housing and anvil being relatively movable between a first spaced apart position and a second position in close approximation with one another; a firing mechanism associated with the cartridge housing for ejecting the surgical fasteners and the knife from the cartridge housing to be driven against the anvil; and a cartridge module which the cartridge housing forms a part of, the cartridge module includes a driver disposed to push staples out of the cartridge housing and a knife holder disposed immediately proximal of the driver in the cartridge housing, the knife holder is attached to the knife which extends distally from the knife holder through a slot in the driver and through a slot in the cartridge housing; the knife holder includes a detent post that extends through a slot in the cartridge housing, the knife holder detent post is disposed to contact detent protrusion of the cartridge slot during the longitudinal travel of the knife and knife holder; the driver includes a detent post that is disposed to contact proximal and distal detent protrusions formed on a cartridge housing slot.