A circular stapling device includes an elongate body having a flexible outer tube that supports a reload assembly, a flexible inner cable that supports an anvil assembly, and a flexible central tube that is supported about the inner cable and within the outer tube. The stapling device is configured to access body cavities which cannot be easily accessed by a circular stapling device having a rigid shaft.

A surgical stapling device includes a tool assembly and a drive assembly. The tool assembly includes an anvil assembly and a cartridge assembly that define longitudinal axes. The drive assembly is movable from a retracted position to move the tool assembly from an open position in which the longitudinal axes of the anvil and cartridge assemblies define an acute angle, to a partially clamped position in which the longitudinal axes of the anvil and cartridge assemblies are substantially parallel, and to a clamped position in which the longitudinal axes of the anvil and cartridge assemblies are substantially parallel.

A surgical instrument includes a body, a shaft, and an end effector. The end effector includes a staple cartridge unit having a housing and an anvil configured to form staples ejected from the housing into tissue. The end effector also includes a cartridge retaining member having an opposed pair of jaws configured to cooperate to grip the housing of the staple cartridge unit. The end effector further includes a deflectable retention member configured to removably secure the housing of the staple cartridge unit to the cartridge retaining member. The deflectable retention member is presented by one of the staple cartridge unit or the cartridge retaining member, and is configured to be deflected relative to a portion of the one of the staple cartridge unit or the cartridge retaining member from an undeflected state to a deflected state by the other of the staple cartridge unit or the cartridge retaining member.

A loading unit includes a staple cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and an anvil hook assembly. The anvil assembly has an opening defined therethrough, and the anvil hook assembly includes an anvil hook disposed within the opening of the anvil assembly and a pivot pin extending through the anvil hook and the anvil assembly. The anvil hook is pivotable with respect to the anvil assembly about the pivot pin between a loading position and a loaded position. The loading unit may further include a surgical buttress assembly including a cartridge buttress releasably attached to the staple cartridge assembly, an anvil buttress releasably attachable to the anvil assembly by the anvil hook, and a connecting member interconnecting the cartridge and anvil buttresses.

Various systems and methods for controlling the activation of energy surgical instruments are disclosed. An advance energy surgical instrument, such an electrosurgical instrument or an ultrasonic surgical instrument, can include one or more sensor assemblies for detecting the state or position of the end effector, arm, or other components of the surgical instrument. A control circuit can be configured to control the activation of the surgical instrument according to the state or position of the components of the surgical instrument.

Apparatus and methods are provided for performing a medical procedure, such as a laparoscopic appendectomy using a stapler apparatus including a reusable handle portion including a shaft include proximal and distal ends, a disposable end effector attached to the distal end of the shaft of the reusable handle carrying one or more staples. For example, the end effector may include first and second jaws movable relative to one another between open and closed positions, the first jaw carrying a cartridge which includes the one or more staples. A Doppler sensor, a cutting element, and, optionally, a thermal element are also provided on the end effector. The end effector is introduced into a patient's body, tissue is positioned/locked between the jaws, and a plurality of staples are deployed into the tissue. The Doppler sensor is used to confirm that blood flow has discontinued in the stapled tissue, and the cutting element is actuated to sever the stapled tissue.

An apparatus is provided for stapling tissue. The apparatus includes an anvil and a trocar selectively coupled with the anvil. The anvil may have an inner opening and a plurality of staple pockets aligned around a surface of the anvil. The anvil may be inserted trans-orally through an esophagus prior to being coupled with the trocar. The trocar may include a shaft and a locking assembly. The locking assembly may secure the anvil in position relative to the trocar when the locking assembly is in the expanded position. The apparatus may also include an alignment assembly to align the staple pockets of the anvil relative to the apparatus. The apparatus may also include an introduction assembly to guide the anvil through the esophagus.

Devices and methods are provided for stabilizing fasteners post-deployment. Devices and methods are also provided for facilitating ejection of surgical fasteners from a cartridge. Devices and methods are also provided for guiding surgical fasteners. Devices and methods are also provided for facilitating closing and clamping of an end effector of a surgical device. Devices and methods are also provided for securing fasteners and adjunct materials to tissue. Devices and methods are also provided for removably coupling a cartridge to an end effector of a surgical device. Devices and methods are also provided for locking a surgical device based on loading of a fastener cartridge in the surgical device. Devices and methods are provided for adjusting a tissue gap of an end effector of a surgical device. Devices and methods are also provided for manually retracting a drive shaft, drive beam, and associated components.

A surgical instrument, such as a surgical fastener applying apparatus, includes a tool assembly, an endoscopic body portion, and an articulation mechanism. The articulation mechanism articulates the tool assembly in relation to the endoscopic body portion over large arc segments while providing simple operating components. Thus, the range of operation of the surgical instrument and the types of surgical activities that can be performed by the surgeon can be expanded without at the same time requiring complex operating components.

Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, a stapling assembly can include a cartridge and a knitted adjunct that is configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge. The adjunct includes first fibers, second fibers, and spacer fibers, in which the first fibers and the spacer fibers are intertwined to form a top layer of the adjunct, the second fibers and the spacer fibers are intertwined to form a bottom layer of the adjunct, and the first fibers, the second fibers, and the spacer fibers are intertwined to form at least one finished edge extending between the top and bottom layers such that the at least one finished edge substantially prevents fraying.