U.S. Patent 8196795 was awarded to Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. on 2012-06-12 and describes a “Disposable motor-driven loading unit for use with a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus.” This patent has been cited 319 times by other U.S. patents which places it in the top 500 cited patents since 2010 according to our law firm research, and makes it of the most innovative medical technology patents in the field of instruments. The abstract states:

A self contained motor-powered disposable loading unit for use with a surgical cutting and stapling apparatus. The disposable loading unit may contain a battery that is retained in a disconnected position when the disposable loading unit is not in use and is moved to a connected position when the disposable loading unit is coupled to the surgical cutting and stapling apparatus to permit the motor to be selectively powered thereby. Indicators may be supported on the disposable loading unit to indicate when the axial drive assembly thereof is in a starting position and an ending position. Another indicator may be provided to indicate when the anvil assembly is in a closed position. Link: U.S. Patent 8196795

This patent was originally filed on 2010-08-13 which gives it a processing time of 669 days, compared to an average processing time of 983 in the field. Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. has 2128 total patents. The first named inventor is Eugene L. Timperman of Cincinnati, OH. The primary examiner was Scott A. Smith.

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