Surgical Stapling Apparatus Including Releasable Surgical Buttress

• US 20130153638A1
• 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: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Carter, Sally, Hodgkinson, Gerald, Stevenson, Richard P., Hislop, Arthur, Aranyi, Ernest, Whiffen, Jennifer
• Granted Patent: US 9,351,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/179.1
• 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 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• 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 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties

Abstract

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge body including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots, a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body, and a substantially circular buttress. The buttress includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion extending between the inner portion and the outer portion. At least one stiffened region joins the buttress to the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge body. The inner portion, the middle portion, the outer portion, and the at least one stiffened region are all formed from a common material.

Claims

1. A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the staple cartridge comprising:

a cartridge body including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots;

a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body; and

a substantially circular buttress including an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion extending between the inner portion and the outer portion, and at least one stiffened region joining the buttress to the tissue contacting surface, wherein the inner portion, the middle portion, the outer portion, and the at least one stiffened region are all formed from a common material.

2. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least the outer portion of the buttress includes the stiffened region.

3. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein at least the inner portion of the buttress includes the stiffened region.

4. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffened region includes a plurality of spokes extending radially outward from the inner portion of the buttress to the outer portion of the buttress.

5. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffened region comprises ruffles.

6. The staple cartridge of claim 5, wherein the ruffles are selected from the group consisting of folds, pleats, undulations, corrugations, creases, ridges, and bends.

7. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffened region is a localized crosslinked region of the buttress.

8. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the buttress includes a stiffening agent.

9. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the outer portion of the buttress includes a terminal flange extending around an outer perimeter of the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge body.

10. The staple cartridge of claim 9, wherein the stiffened region extends through the terminal flange.

11. The staple cartridge of claim 10, wherein the terminal flange is adjoined to an outer side surface of the cartridge body.

12. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the buttress material includes a central opening.

13. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein the stiffened region is concentric with the central opening.

14. The staple cartridge of claim 12, wherein the inner portion of the buttress includes an interior flange annularly extending into the central opening.

15. The staple cartridge of claim 14, wherein the stiffened region extends through the interior flange.

16. The staple cartridge of claim 15, wherein the interior flange is adjoined to an inner side surface of the cartridge body.

17. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffened region is disposed radially inward of the staple retaining slots.

18. The staple cartridge of claim 1, wherein the stiffened region is disposed radially outward of the staple retaining slots.

19. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a tubular body portion having a distal end and a shaft with a connection portion;

an anvil assembly including an anvil plate having staple forming recesses and a shaft connectable with the connection portion;

a cartridge body receivable in the distal end of the tubular body portion and including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots, the staple retaining slots defining at least two annular rows of staple retaining slots;

a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body; and

a substantially circular buttress including an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion extending between the inner portion and the outer portion, and at least one stiffened region joining the buttress to the tissue contacting surface, wherein the inner portion, the middle portion, the outer portion, and the at least one stiffened region are all formed from a common material.

20. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a tubular body portion having a distal end and a shaft with a connection portion;

an anvil assembly including an anvil plate having staple forming recesses and a shaft connectable with the connection portion;

a cartridge body receivable in the distal end of the tubular body portion and including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots, the staple retaining slots defining at least two annular rows of staple retaining slots;

a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body; and

a substantially circular buttress including at least one buttress region and at least one stiffened region, wherein the at least one buttress region and the at least one stiffened region are formed from a common material.

21. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is disposed about an outer portion of the buttress.

22. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is disposed about an inner portion of the buttress.

23. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region includes a plurality of spokes extending radially outward from an inner portion of the buttress to an outer portion of the buttress.

24. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region comprises ruffles.

25. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is a localized crosslinked region of the buttress.

26. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the buttress includes a stiffening agent.

27. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the buttress includes a terminal flange extending around an outer perimeter of the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge body.

28. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 27, wherein the stiffened region extends through the terminal flange.

29. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 28, wherein the terminal flange is adjoined to an outer side surface of the cartridge body.

30. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the buttress material includes a central opening.

31. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is concentric with the central opening.

32. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 31, wherein the buttress includes an interior flange annularly extending into the central opening.

33. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 32, wherein the stiffened region extends through the interior flange.

34. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 33, wherein the interior flange is adjoined to an inner side surface of the cartridge body.

35. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is disposed radially inward of the staple retaining slots.

36. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 20, wherein the stiffened region is disposed radially outward of the staple retaining slots.

37. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a tubular body portion having a distal end and a shaft with a connection portion;

an anvil assembly including an anvil plate having staple forming recesses and a shaft connectable with the connection portion;

a cartridge body receivable in the distal end of the tubular body portion and including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots, the staple retaining slots defining at least two annular rows of staple retaining slots;

a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body; and

a substantially circular buttress including at least one buttress material and at least one stiffened region, wherein the at least one stiffened region is formed by adding a stiffening agent to the buttress material, the stiffening agent being selected from the group consisting of sugars, salts, starches, hydrogels, degradable polymers, and combinations thereof.

38. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the sugars are selected from the group consisting of tahalose, sucrose, galatose, and glucose.

39. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the salts are selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and sodium phosphate.

40. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the hydrogels include degradable polyethylene glycol or poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate).

41. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the degradable polymers include poloxamers or polyhydroxy acids.

42. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 41, wherein polyhydroxy acids are selected from the group consisting of glycolide, lactide, trimethylene carbonate, p-dioxanone, ε

-caprolactone, and combinations thereof.

43. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the stiffening agent is a coating on the buttress.

44. The surgical stapling apparatus of claim 37, wherein the stiffening agent is impregnated into the buttress.