John C Bittner, Age 947097 Hamilton Cleves Rd, Cleves, OH 45002

5878938, Mar 9, 1999

Aug 11, 1997

8/909037

John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
William G. Bowser - Cincinaati OH
Joseph C. Hueil - Loveland OH
David H. Ruder - Mason OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 1704

2271754

A surgical stapler for effecting simultaneous cutting and stapling of tissue includes a frame and a staple cartridge positionable in the frame. The stapler includes a knife blade mounted for movement distally of the staple cartridge, the knife blade having a retraction lock feature including a locking portion for abutment to a roof member of a spacer carried on the frame in a locked position, to prevent movement of the knife blade, unless the stapler is fitted with a fresh, unused staple cartridge. The locking portion is spring loaded by a leaf spring into the locked position. The knife blade includes a spring notch which coacts with the leaf spring to mechanically lift and pivotally thrust the knife blade to the locked position when the knife blade is retracted after use. The lift or thrust feature clears out tissue accumulation which enhances the ability of the knife to restore to its full elevated return position.

6102271, Aug 15, 2000

Nov 23, 1998

9/197805

Antonio Longo - Palermo, IT
John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
Randall L. Hacker - Goshen OH
Federico Bilotti - Hamburg, DE

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 17068

2271801

A circular sapling instrument for the removal of hemorrhoids has a stapling end effector having a casing, a hollow staple driver within the casing, an annular blade having an open distal end is located within the staple driver, and a elongated interior drive shaft is reciprocable within the staple driver and the annular blade. A first inner chamber is defined between the staple driver and the interior drive shaft, and a second inner chamber is defined between the annular blade and the drive shaft. The first chamber communicates with the second chamber. The casing has an exterior surface and a substantially unobstructed passageway extends within the casing surface, into the first inner chamber, into the second inner chamber, and through the open distal end of the second inner chamber for insertion and withdrawal of a surgical instrument therethrough.

6142933, Nov 7, 2000

Nov 23, 1998

9/197836

Antonio Longo - Palermo, IT
John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
Randall L. Hacker - Goshen OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 100

600184

An anoscope adapted for the suturing of hemorrhoids during a hemorrhoid removal procedure is disclosed. The anoscope has a distal conical tip, a channel body extending proximally from the distal conical tip and a flange radiused outwardly from the channel. A slot is formed in the channel body and runs longitudinally from the distal conical tip through the flange and is flanked by a pair of mutually opposed finger wings that extend out from the flange. The finger wings each have a distal finger wing tip and a concave surface embedded within the finger wing tips. The concave surfaces are sized for the placement of a finger of a user therein.

5931847, Aug 3, 1999

Jan 9, 1997

8/775537

John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
Peter Lau - Cincinnati OH
David H. Ruder - Mason OH
W. G. Bowser - Maineville OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 1732
A61B 1704

606167

A surgical tissue fastening device for fastening and transecting tissue includes a handle having a cartridge assembly connected the handle. The cartridge assembly includes a cartridge containing a plurality of surgical fasteners. An anvil assembly is connected to the handle and includes an anvil surface that is positionable adjacent the cartridge. The anvil surface receives and forms the fasteners ejected from the cartridge upon firing of the instrument. Tissue that is desired to be fastened and transected is placed between the anvil and the cartridge. The instrument also includes a knife blade which is movable between the cartridge and the anvil for cutting the tissue. The knife blade has a knife edge having a plurality of pairs of cutting tips for piercing the tissue and a notch located between each pair of cutting tips for capturing foreign objects, such as staples, in the notch. An actuator assembly is operatively connected to the cartridge assembly and the knife blade for ejecting the fasteners from the cartridge to the anvil surface and for advancing the knife blade through the tissue for transecting the tissue between the cartridge and the anvil.

5919198, Jul 6, 1999

Apr 17, 1997

8/839853

Thomas H. Graves - Milford OH
John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
William G. Bowser - Maineville OH
Peter Lau - Taipei, TW
Trevor Speeg - Williamsburg OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 1704

606139

An improved surgical instrument cartridge and method for manufacturing thereof includes providing a cartridge comprising a housing including a surface member and a pair of sidewalls spaced a distance apart from each and connected to the surface member. At least one of the sidewalls has a plurality of slots arranged therein. The slotted sidewall is then deflected such that a plurality of drivers can be placed adjacent the deflected sidewall. Each driver has a tab extending laterally therefrom. The driver tab is inserted directly into the sidewall slot such that each tab is movably confined within each slot and the driver is movable with respect to the slotted sidewalls.

5673842, Oct 7, 1997

Mar 5, 1996

8/611161

John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
Peter Lau - Cincinnati OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery - Cincinnati OH

A61B 17068

2271754

A surgical stapler for effecting simultaneous cutting and stapling of tissue includes a frame and a staple cartridge positionable in the frame. The stapler includes a knife blade mounted for movement distally of the staple cartridge, with the cartridge including a rotatable member which cooperates with the knife blade for preventing use of the stapler unless it is fitted with a fresh, unused staple cartridge. The rotatable member on the staple cartridge is configured to facilitate convenient and efficient use of the stapler by reducing the force required for operation of the device.

6083241, Jul 4, 2000

Nov 23, 1998

9/197806

Antonio Longo - Palermo, IT
John R. Bittner - Loveland OH
Randall L. Hacker - Goshen OH

Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

A61B 1708

606219

A method for using a circular stapling instrument for the removal of hemorrhoids is disclosed. The circular stapling instrument has a stapling end effector having a stapling head assembly and an anvil assembly movable from an open position spaced away from the stapling head to a closed position adjacent to the stapling head. A first inner chamber and a second inner chamber communicate within the stapling head assembly wherein the second inner chamber has an open distal end when the anvil is in an open position. A substantially unobstructed passageway extends from an exterior casing surface of the stapling head assembly through the first inner chamber, through the second inner chamber, and through the open distal end of the second inner chamber. A suture is placed into the hemorrhoid of a patient and the open stapling end effector is placed into the anus of a patient. The open stapling end effector is positioned with the suture between the stapling head and the open anvil assembly and a surgical instrument is placed into the passageway to engage the suture through the open distal end of the second chamber.