A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil and a stapling head assembly. The anvil defines staple forming pockets. The stapling head assembly includes a body, a coupling member, a firing assembly, and a staple deck. The coupling member is configured to actuate relative to the body to thereby acuate the anvil relative to the body. The firing assembly is configured to drive staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil. The staple deck is defined by an outer arched perimeter and an inner arched perimeter fixed to the body. The staple deck defines staple openings. At least one non-tangential staple opening in the of staple openings extends along a longitudinal axis in a non-tangential relationship with a closest tangent line of the inner arched perimeter or the outer arched perimeter.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil defining a plurality of staple forming pockets and a stapling head assembly configured to drive a plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil. The stapling head assembly comprises a coupling member configured to actuate the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly, a firing assembly configured to drive the plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil, and a deck member. The deck member includes a deck surface extending radially between an inner circular edge and an outer circular edge, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the deck surface. The plurality of staple openings define at least one cross shape.

A method of creating an anastomosis is provided using a stapling assembly including a body extending distally along a longitudinal axis and a deck member defining a deck surface. The deck surface includes a first array of staple openings comprising a herringbone pattern, and each staple opening of the first array of staple openings has a same size. The method includes positioning an anvil within a first lumen of a patient and positioning the stapling assembly within a second lumen of the patient. The method also includes releasably coupling the anvil with the stapling assembly and compressing tissue of the first and second lumens between the anvil and the deck member. The method further includes actuating a plurality of staple drivers to drive a first plurality of staples distally and parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first array of staple openings into the tissue to define the anastomosis.

An anastomotic coupler is provided. A ring can include a receiving portion. A fixation device includes a cartridge. The cartridge includes a plurality of fasteners. Upon actuation of the fixation device, the fasteners puncture the tubular structure. The fasteners are received by the receiving portions such that the tubular structure is coupled with the ring.

The present invention relates to a joining member for an anastomosis system for realizing anastomosis between first and second hollow structures, such as end-to-side anastomosis. The joining member is annular and is adapted for joining the first and second hollow structures. The joining member includes a plurality of interconnected loops forming the annular body and a plurality of joining elements for joining the hollow structures connected to the annular body at locations where adjacent loops are interconnected to each other, and wherein the loops are configured to permit radial expansion of said annular body to expand said joining member from a first position to a second position having a second, larger diameter than the first position.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil and a stapling head assembly. The anvil defines staple forming pockets. The stapling head assembly includes a body, a coupling member, a firing assembly, and a staple deck. The coupling member is configured to actuate relative to the body to thereby acuate the anvil relative to the body. The firing assembly is configured to drive staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil. The staple deck is defined by an outer arched perimeter and an inner arched perimeter fixed to the body. The staple deck defines staple openings. At least one non-tangential staple opening in the of staple openings extends along a longitudinal axis in a non-tangential relationship with a closest tangent line of the inner arched perimeter or the outer arched perimeter.

A surgical stapling instrument includes an anvil defining a plurality of staple forming pockets and a stapling head assembly configured to drive a plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil. The stapling head assembly comprises a coupling member configured to actuate the anvil relative to the stapling head assembly, a firing assembly configured to drive the plurality of staples against the staple forming pockets of the anvil, and a deck member. The deck member includes a deck surface extending radially between an inner circular edge and an outer circular edge, and a plurality of staple openings extending through the deck surface. The plurality of staple openings define at least one cross shape.

The present invention relates to circular anastomosis stapler and kits comprising reinforcing buttress materials and fixation tools that are slidably installed on the anvil shaft of such staplers which provides a temporary mechanical fixation of a reinforcing buttress to the anvil surface of a circular stapler during the insertion of the anvil into the tubular tissue. When the anvil, loaded with the buttress, is in the desired location, the fixation tool is pulled back along the anvil shaft and removed. The shaft is then connected to the stapling head and the stapling is performed. The present invention also relates to methods for using the kits and devices therein.

Devices and methods for implantation at a native mitral valve having a non-circular annulus and leaflets. One embodiment of the device includes a valve support having a first region configured to be attached to a prosthetic valve with a plurality of prosthetic leaflets and a second region. The device can further include an anchoring member having a longitudinal dimension and including a first portion configured to contact tissue at the non-circular annulus, a second portion configured to be attached to the valve support, and a lateral portion between the first portion and the second portion. The second portion of the anchoring member is attached to the second region of the valve support while in a low-profile configuration in which the anchoring member and the valve support are configured to pass through vasculature of a human. The lateral portion is transverse to the longitudinal dimension. The anchoring member and the valve support are configured to move from the low-profile configuration to an expanded configuration in which the first portion of the anchoring member at least partially adapts to the non-circular annulus of the native mitral valve and the first region of the valve support is spaced inwardly from the first portion of the anchoring member relative to the longitudinal dimension of the anchoring member such that a shape of the first region of the valve support is at least partially independent of a shape of the first portion of the anchoring member.

A tool assembly includes a cartridge assembly, a shell, and an anvil assembly. The shell houses the cartridge assembly and defines a passage. The shell includes alignment splines that are disposed within the passage and define channels between adjacent alignment splines. The anvil assembly includes an anvil and a center rod that extends from the anvil. The center rod defines a longitudinal axis and includes a first spline and second splines. The first spline includes a first leading facet that is configured to engage the alignment splines to clock the anvil assembly relative to the cartridge assembly. The second splines are radially spaced apart about the longitudinal axis. Each of the second splines includes a leading end that defines a plane that is substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. The leading end is configured to crash with the alignments spines when the anvil assembly is misaligned with the cartridge assembly.