In-situ loaded stapler

Abstract

In one aspect of the present disclosure a surgical stapling apparatus is disclosed including a cartridge assembly. The cartridge assembly includes at least one cartridge having a first half and a second half, a first row of retention slots disposed in the first half, a second row of retention slots disposed in the second half, a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first half and the second half of the at least one cartridge between the first and second rows of staple receiving slots, a plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots of the first, second and third rows, and a plurality of pushers disposed in each of the first and second halves of the cartridge.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A staple cartridge assembly comprising:
 a first staple cartridge including:
 a first cartridge portion including a first row of retention slots and a first tissue contacting surface; 
 a second cartridge portion including a second row of retention slots and a second tissue contacting surface, the second cartridge portion releasably attachable to the first cartridge portion; and 
 a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion of the first staple cartridge, the third row of retention slots disposed between the first and second rows of retention slots and defining a third tissue contacting surface, 
 wherein at least two of the first, second, and third tissue contacting surfaces exist in different planes. 
   
     
     
         3 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first, second, and third tissue contacting surfaces exist in different planes. 
     
     
         4 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first staple cartridge further includes:
 a plurality of fasteners disposed in the retention slots of the first, second, and third rows of retention slots.   
     
     
         5 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first staple cartridge further includes:
 a plurality of pushers disposed in each of the first and second cartridge portions, each pusher of the plurality of pushers being disposed in operative association with at least one of the retention slots of the first staple cartridge and being configured to eject a respective fastener from at least one retention slot of the first, second, or third rows of retention slots.   
     
     
         6 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 2 , further comprising a second staple cartridge configured to couple to the first staple cartridge at a distal end portion thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the second staple cartridge includes:
 a third cartridge portion including a fourth row of retention slots and a fourth tissue contacting surface;   a fourth cartridge portion including a fifth row of retention slots and a fifth tissue contacting surface, the fourth cartridge portion releasably attachable to the third cartridge portion; and   a sixth row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the third cartridge portion and the fourth cartridge portion of the second staple cartridge, the sixth row of retention slots disposed between the fourth and fifth rows of retention slots and defining a sixth tissue contacting surface,   wherein at least two of the fourth, fifth, and sixth tissue contacting surfaces exist in different planes.   
     
     
         8 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second staple cartridges define a longitudinal slot therebetween. 
     
     
         9 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the longitudinal slot is configured to facilitate passage of a knife blade therethrough. 
     
     
         10 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 2 , further including a cartridge support channel configured to receive the first and second cartridge portions of the first staple cartridge therein and maintain engagement therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 2 , further including a staple magazine disposed in operative association with each retention slot of the first staple cartridge, each staple magazine including a plurality of fasteners therein and configured to supply a fastener of the plurality of fasteners to the corresponding retention slot. 
     
     
         12 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of fasteners associated with the first row of retention slots has a first size, the plurality of fasteners associated with the second row of retention slots has a second size, and the plurality of fasteners associated with the third row of retention slots has a third size, the first, second, and third sizes being different. 
     
     
         13 . The staple cartridge assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the first size is greater than the third size and the third size is greater than the second size. 
     
     
         14 . A method of assembling an end effector, comprising:
 forming a first staple cartridge by coupling a first cartridge portion to a second cartridge portion, the first staple cartridge includes a first row of retention slots disposed in the first cartridge portion, a second row of retention slots disposed in the second cartridge portion, and a third row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the first cartridge portion and the second cartridge portion, the third row of retention slots disposed between the first and second rows of retention slots;   forming a second staple cartridge by coupling a third cartridge portion to a fourth cartridge portion, the second staple cartridge includes a fourth row of retention slots disposed in the third cartridge portion, a fifth row of retention slots disposed in the fourth cartridge portion, and a sixth row of retention slots being alternately disposed in the third cartridge portion and the fourth cartridge portion, the sixth row of retention slots disposed between the fourth and fifth rows of retention slots; and   coupling the first staple cartridge and the second staple cartridge such that the first and second staple cartridges are configured for insertion into an elongated support channel.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein coupling the first and second cartridge portions further includes coupling flanges and channels defined on the first cartridge portions with corresponding flanges and channels defined on the second cartridge portion, the channels of the first and second cartridge portions being configured to receive the corresponding flanges of the first and second cartridge portions, respectively. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further including inserting the first staple cartridge into a first cartridge support channel such that engagement between the first and second cartridge portions is maintained. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein coupling the first and second staple cartridges further includes coupling a distal portion of each respective first and second staple cartridge. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further including inserting first and second staple cartridges into an elongated support channel.