Detachable buttress material retention systems for use with a surgical stapling device

• US 20080314960A1
• Filed: 06/22/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Marczyk, Stanislaw, Prommersberger, Megan, Nentwick, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 7,845,533 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/178.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/105 Wound clamp magazines for packaging sharps A61B50/3001
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00889 antimicrobial, disinfectant
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00893 pharmaceutically effective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads

Abstract

Systems of releasably connecting staple line buttress material to the jaws of a surgical stapling instrument are provided. The systems include retainers configured to engage the buttress material and releasably retain the buttress material on the jaws of the surgical stapling instrument prior to stapling tissue. In certain embodiments, the retainers remain with the jaws of the instrument after stapling of tissue. In alternative embodiments, the retainers remain with the buttress material after being stapled to tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical stapler for deploying staples in tissue, comprising:

a pair of jaws for engaging tissue, the pair of jaws including a staple cartridge and an anvil, at least one of the jaws defining a plurality of recesses;

a staple line buttress material positioned on one of the jaws; and

a plurality of retainers passing through the staple line buttress material, each of the retainers being disposed within one of the recesses so as to releasably retain the staple line buttress material on the at least one jaw.

2. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer is a staple having a backspan and a pair of legs extending from the backspan

3. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 2, wherein the recesses in the at least one jaw defines a pair of holes, the legs of the staple passing through the holes such that tips of the legs are crimped over the staple line buttress material.

4. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 2, wherein the legs of the staple are inserted through the staple line buttress material such that the legs of the staple are partially positioned within the recesses and the backspan of the staple secures the staple line buttress material to the at least one jaw.

5. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 4, wherein the legs of the staple are crimped within the recesses.

6. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 1, wherein the staple line buttress material includes a plurality of slots and the recesses are formed as slots.

7. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 6, wherein the retainer is a clip passing through the slots in the staple line buttress material and the slots in the at least one jaw.

8. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 7, wherein the retainer is a clip having an a plate and an angled lip extending from the plate, the angled lip engaging the staple line buttress material.

9. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 8, wherein the clip has an angled edge along one side, the angled edge being engagable with a driver of the surgical stapler.

10. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 7, wherein the clip is an I-beam having a center portion and upper and lower beams extending from the center portion.

11. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 10, wherein an underside of the upper beam engages the staple line buttress material.

12. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 10, wherein ends of the lower beam frictionally engage surfaces defining the recesses.

13. The surgical stapler as recited in claim 1, wherein the retainer is absorbable within the body of a patient.

14. A method of applying staple line buttress material to a surgical staple line, comprising;

providing a surgical stapler having a pair of jaws including a staple containing cartridge and an anvil, the surgical stapler having a buttress material releasably disposed on at least one of the jaws and a plurality of retainers passing through the staple line buttress material and into recesses formed in the at least one jaw;

actuating the surgical stapler to drive staples contained in the staple containing cartridge through the buttress material and tissue captured between the jaws and into the anvil so as to staple the buttress material to the tissue.

15. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the retainers are reverse staples frictionally retained within the recesses.

16. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the retainers are retained within the at least one jaw after the buttress material has been stapled to the tissue.

17. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the retainers are retained on the buttress material after the buttress material has been stapled to the tissue.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein the retainers are clips passing through the buttress material.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein a surface of the clips engage the buttress material.