Surgical fastener and surgical stapling apparatus

Claim 2

An anvil assembly for a surgical fastener comprising an anvil having a plurality of radiating fingers extending angularly outwardly of a longitudinal axis; an annular cutting block removably mounted on said fingers for engagement with an annular knife blade; and means for biasing said fingers radially inwardly of said block to permit movement of said fingers radially inwardly in response to removal of said cutting block from said fingers.

Claim 3

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 1 which further includes a central hub wherein each said finger is integral with said hub and is resiliently deformable.

Claim 4

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein said means includes an anvil head having an internal conical wall receiving said anvil with said fingers abutting said wall and a retainer movably mounted within said anvil head and said anvil in abutment with said hub to tension said fingers radially inward.

Claim 5

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said anvil head has a threaded bore for reception of a threaded shaft.

Claim 6

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 1 which further comprises an anvil head having an annular recess receiving one end of each finger, an axially movable retainer ring concentrically within said fingers and mounted on said anvil head; and a circular spring encompassing said fingers within said recess to bias said fingers onto said retainer ring.

Claim 7

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein each finger has an intermediately disposed recess spaced axially from said ring and sized to receive said ring upon axial movement of said ring thereinto to permit inward radial movement of said finger.

Claim 8

An anvil assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein each finger is made of aluminum.

Claim 9

A surgical stapling apparatus comprising a central shaft; an anvil assembly mounted on a distal end of said shaft, said anvil assembly including a plurality of radiating fingers extending angularly outwardly of said shaft, an annular cutting block removably mounted on said fingers and means for biasing said fingers radially inwardly of said block; and a surgical fastener holding assembly mounted on said shaft for relative movement with said anvil assembly to releaseably retain two ends of tubular tissue therebetween, said holding assembly including an annular knife blade coaxially opposite said cutting block for severing tissue disposed therebetween, said blade having an edge for penetrating and holding said block thereon whereby upon movement of said holding assembly and said anvil assembly from each other, said block is removed from said fingers to permit said fingers to move radially inwardly for passage through a stapled seam between the two ends of the tissue.

Claim 10

A surgical stapling apparatus comprising a central shaft; an anvil assembly mounted on a distal end of said shaft, said anvil assembly including a plurality of radiating fingers extending angularly outwardly of said shaft, an annular cutting block removably mounted on said fingers and means for biasing said fingers radially inwardly of said block; and a surgical fastener holding assembly mounted on said shaft for relative movement with said anvil assembly to releaseably retain two ends of tubular tissue therebetween, said holding assembly including an annular knife blade coaxially opposite said cutting block for severing tissue disposed therebetween, said blade having an edge for penetrating and holding said block thereon whereby upon movement of said holding assembly and said anvil assembly from each other, said block is removed from said fingers to permit said fingers to move radially inwardly for passage through a stapled seam between the two ends of the tissue.

Claim 11

An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said holding assembly includes a removable annular stapling part having a plurality of coaxial prongs for piercing the tissue and said anvil assembly includes a removable annular retainer part mounted on said fingers about said block for receiving and holding said prongs.

Claim 13

An apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said anvil assembly further includes a central hub integrally joining said fingers with said fingers being resiliently deformable.

Claim 14

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said means for biasing said fingers includes an anvil head threaded on said shaft with an internal conical wall abutting said fingers and a retainer movably mounted on said shaft within said fingers in abutment with said hub to tension said fingers radially inward.

Claim 15

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein said anvil assembly includes an anvil head having an annular recess receiving one end of each finger, an axially movable retainer ring concentrically within said fingers and mounted on said anvil head; and a circular spring encompassing said fingers within said recess to bias said fingers onto said retainer ring.

Claim 16

An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said holding assembly includes a tubular pusher about said shaft for abutting and pushing said retainer inwardly of said anvil assembly and wherein each finger has an intermediately disposed recess spaced axially from said ring and sized to receive said ring.