U.S. Patent 7726537 was awarded to Tyco Healthcare Group LP on 2010-06-01 and describes a “Surgical stapler with universal articulation and tissue pre-clamp.” This patent has been cited 475 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 tool assembly for a surgical stapling device includes a channel member for supporting a staple cartridge therein and an anvil to deform a plurality of staples ejected from the staple cartridge thereagainst. The tool assembly also includes a sled which is movable to force the staples from the cartridge against the anvil to staple tissue disposed between the anvil and the staple cartridge. A dynamic clamping member is included which has a pin which movably engages the anvil and a flange which movably engages the channel assembly. The dynamic clamping member is mounted to and movable with the sled. The pin and the flange of the dynamic clamping member cooperating to oppose the forces associated with clamping and stapling tissue and also to maintain a substantially uniform gap between the anvil and the staple cartridge during stapling of the tissue. Link: U.S. Patent 7726537

This patent was originally filed on 2003-10-06 which gives it a processing time of 2430 days, compared to an average processing time of 887 in the field. Tyco Healthcare Group LP has 1168 total patents. The first named inventor is Ralph A. Stearns of Bozrah, CT. The assistant examiner was Michelle Lopez.

Select Patents monitors top medical technology patents and instruments patents which have been allowed and granted worldwide. If you would like legal advice regarding a patent or would like to file a patent go to https://selectpatents.wpengine.com/contact/