Releasable Buttress Retention on a Surgical Stapler

• US 20130153633A1
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Thomas Casasanta Jr
• Inventors: Whiffen, Jennifer, Carter, Sally, Casasanta, Thomas Jr., Miesse, Andrew, Contini, Elizabeth M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,010,608 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/176.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples

Abstract

A surgical stapling apparatus including a releasable buttress material includes a cartridge assembly, an anvil assembly, and a buttress material. The cartridge assembly includes a plurality of staples, a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots, and a swaged outer edge. The anvil assembly includes a tissue contacting surface defining staple pockets for forming staples expelled from the staple retaining slots of the cartridge assembly. The buttress material has an outer portion that is retaining within the swaged outer edge of the cartridge assembly.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling apparatus including a releasable buttress material, the surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a cartridge assembly including a plurality of staples and a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots, the cartridge assembly including a swaged outer edge;

an anvil assembly including a tissue contacting surface defining staple pockets for forming staples expelled from the staple retaining slots of the cartridge assembly; and

a buttress material including an outer portion retained within the swaged outer edge of the cartridge assembly.

2. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the swaged outer edge of the cartridge assembly includes a rim overlapping the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly in spaced relation therewith and defines an inner pocket between the tissue contacting surface and the rim.

3. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rim continuously extends around an entire perimeter of the buttress material.

4. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rim includes a plurality of discontinuous tabs extending around the buttress material.

5. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 2, wherein the rim includes sharp edges extending radially inward of the outer edge.

6. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the buttress material includes slits.

7. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the outer portion of the buttress material is frayed.

8. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anvil assembly includes a swaged outer edge and a buttress material retained within the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly includes a rim overlapping the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly in spaced relation therewith and defines an inner pocket between the tissue contacting surface and the rim.

10. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the buttress material retained within the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly includes slits.

11. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the outer portion of the buttress material retained within the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly is frayed.

12. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the buttress material of the anvil assembly is different from the buttress material of the cartridge assembly.

13. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly is associated with a body portion of the surgical stapling apparatus and the anvil assembly includes a shaft removably mountable to the body portion, the anvil assembly being movable toward and away from the body portion.

14. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 13, wherein the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly are circular, and wherein the buttress material includes a central opening dimensioned to receive the shaft of the anvil assembly.

15. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cartridge assembly is associated with a first jaw and the anvil assembly is associated with a second jaw, the first and second jaws being selectively movable relative to one another from a first spaced apart position to a second position wherein the first and second jaws cooperate to grasp tissue therebetween.

16. A surgical stapling apparatus including a releasable buttress material, the surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a cartridge assembly including a plurality of staples and a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots;

an anvil assembly including a tissue contacting surface defining staple pockets for forming staples expelled from the staple retaining slots of the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly including a swaged outer edge; and

a buttress material including an outer portion retained within the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly.

17. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 16, wherein the swaged outer edge of the anvil assembly includes a rim overlapping the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly in spaced relation therewith and defines an inner pocket between the tissue contacting surface and the rim.

18. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 16, wherein the buttress material includes slits.

19. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 16, wherein the outer portion of the buttress material is frayed.

20. A surgical stapling apparatus including a releasable buttress material, the surgical stapling apparatus comprising:

a cartridge assembly including a plurality of staples and a tissue contacting surface defining staple retaining slots;

an anvil assembly including a tissue contacting surface defining staple pockets for forming staples expelled from the staple retaining slots of the cartridge assembly;

a knife disposed within a knife slot formed in the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly; and

a buttress material including an outer portion swaged to an outer edge of one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly.