TISSUE THICKNESS COMPENSATOR COMPRISING FIBERS TO PRODUCE A RESILIENT LOAD
First Claim
1. A fastener cartridge assembly for a surgical instrument, the fastener cartridge assembly comprising:
- a support portion comprising a fastener cavity;
a nonwoven compensator positioned relative to said support portion, wherein said nonwoven compensator comprises a plurality of spring fibers dispersed throughout; and
a fastener moveable between an initial position and a fired position, wherein said fastener is at least partially positioned in said fastener cavity when said fastener is in said initial position, and wherein said fastener is configured to compress said nonwoven compensator when said fastener is moved between said initial position and said fired position.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A nonwoven compensator for an end effector of a surgical instrument can comprise a plurality of spring fibers dispersed throughout the nonwoven compensator. The nonwoven compensator can be positioned in the end effector such as adjacent to a deck surface of a fastener cartridge that is positioned in the end effector. When a fastener from the fastener cartridge is moved from an initial position to a fired position, the fastener can be configured to engage the nonwoven compensator. The fastener can compress a portion of the nonwoven compensator in a staple entrapment area defined by the fired staple. The spring fibers in the nonwoven compensator can comprise a resilient material and can be deformed when the fastener compresses a portion of the nonwoven compensator. Further, the nonwoven compensator can comprise non-spring fibers, a haemostatic material, and/or a homogenous absorbable polymer matrix.
404 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A fastener cartridge assembly for a surgical instrument, the fastener cartridge assembly comprising:
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a support portion comprising a fastener cavity; a nonwoven compensator positioned relative to said support portion, wherein said nonwoven compensator comprises a plurality of spring fibers dispersed throughout; and a fastener moveable between an initial position and a fired position, wherein said fastener is at least partially positioned in said fastener cavity when said fastener is in said initial position, and wherein said fastener is configured to compress said nonwoven compensator when said fastener is moved between said initial position and said fired position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A fastener cartridge for a surgical instrument, the fastener cartridge comprising:
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a body comprising a first body portion and a second body portion, wherein said first body portion comprises fastener cavities, wherein said second body portion comprises a compressible portion, wherein said compressible portion comprises a plurality of spring fibers dispersed throughout, and wherein said spring fibers are at least partially resilient; and fasteners, wherein each fastener is aligned with a fastener cavity of said first body portion. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An end effector assembly for a surgical instrument, the end effector assembly comprising:
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an anvil; a fastener cartridge comprising; a cartridge body comprising a fastener cavity; and a fastener, wherein said fastener is at least partially positioned in a fastener cavity when said fastener is in an initial position; and a nonwoven compensator positioned intermediate said fastener cartridge and said anvil, wherein said nonwoven compensator comprises a plurality of spring fibers dispersed throughout, and wherein said spring fibers are at least partially resilient. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification