ADHERENCE CONCEPTS FOR NON-WOVEN ABSORBABLE FELT BUTTRESSES

• US 20140239047A1
• Filed: 02/04/2014
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hodgkinson, Gerald, Scirica, Paul A.
• Application Number:
  US14/172,036
• Publication Number:
  US 20140239047A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 227/180.1
• 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 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable, resorptive for implantable prostheses A61F2210/0004
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49908 Joining by deforming

Abstract

A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus including a tool assembly and a surgical buttress. The tool assembly includes: a cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge having a tissue facing surface, staple retaining pockets having a plurality of surgical fasteners therein, and a knife slot; and an anvil assembly including an anvil plate having a tissue facing surface defining staple forming pockets and a knife slot. The surgical buttress is attached to the tissue facing surface of at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly, and conforms to the tissue facing surface such that the surgical buttress is deformed locally into the staple retaining pockets and the knife slot of the cartridge assembly or the staple forming pockets and the knife slot of the anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached.

Claims

1. A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:

a housing;

a handle supported by the housing;

an elongated body extending distally from the housing;

a tool assembly at the distal end of the elongated body, the tool assembly including;

a cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge having a tissue facing surface, a plurality of staple retaining pockets and a knife slot formed in the tissue facing surface thereof;

a plurality of surgical fasteners loaded one each in the staple retaining pockets; and

an anvil assembly in juxtaposed relation to the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly including an anvil plate having a tissue facing surface defining a plurality of staple forming pockets and a knife slot therein, at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the other of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly; and

a surgical buttress attached to the tissue facing surface of at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly, the surgical buttress conforming to the tissue facing surface such that the surgical buttress is deformed locally into the staple retaining pockets and the knife slot of the cartridge assembly or the staple forming pockets and the knife slot of the anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached, thereby increasing the contact area between the surgical buttress and the tissue facing surface.

2. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surgical buttress has a width that is wider than a width of the respective cartridge assembly or anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached.

3. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein lateral edges of the surgical buttress extend partially around a circumference and beyond a lateral side edge of the respective cartridge assembly or anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached.

4. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surgical buttress is nonwoven.

5. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the surgical buttress is absorbable.

6. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surgical buttress is a non-woven, absorbable felt.

7. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the surgical buttress is secured to at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly by at least one anchor.

8. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the anchor is selected from the group consisting of sutures, threads, tethers, straps, bands, lines, wires, cables, fasteners, and tacks.

9. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising:

a release assembly associated with the at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached; and

a drive assembly slidably translatable through the tool assembly from a proximal position to a distal position, wherein the drive assembly actuates the release assembly to thereby release the anchor and to free the surgical buttress from the at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly.

10. A loading unit for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the loading unit comprising:

a tool assembly including;

a cartridge assembly including a staple cartridge having a tissue facing surface, a plurality of staple retaining pockets and a knife slot formed in the tissue facing surface thereof;

a plurality of surgical fasteners loaded one each in the staple retaining pockets; and

an anvil assembly in juxtaposed relation to the cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly including an anvil plate having a tissue facing surface defining a plurality of staple forming pockets and a knife slot therein, at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly being movable in relation to the other of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly; and

a surgical buttress attached to the tissue facing surface of at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly, the surgical buttress conforming to the tissue facing surface such that the surgical buttress is deformed locally into the staple retaining pockets and the knife slot of the cartridge assembly or the staple forming pockets and the knife slot of the anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached, thereby increasing the contact area between the surgical buttress and the tissue facing surface.

11. The loading unit according to claim 10, wherein the surgical buttress has a width that is wider than a width of the respective cartridge assembly or anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached.

12. The loading unit according to claim 11, wherein lateral edges of the surgical buttress extend partially around a circumference and beyond a lateral side edge of the respective cartridge assembly or anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is attached.

13. The loading unit according to claim 10, wherein the surgical buttress is nonwoven.

14. The loading unit according to claim 13, wherein the surgical buttress is absorbable.

15. The loading unit according to claim 10, wherein the surgical buttress is a non-woven, absorbable felt.

16. The loading unit according to claim 10, wherein the surgical buttress is secured to at least one of the cartridge assembly or the anvil assembly by at least one anchor.

17. The loading unit according to claim 16, wherein the anchor is selected from the group consisting of sutures, threads, tethers, straps, bands, lines, wires, cables, fasteners, and tacks.

18. The loading unit according to claim 16, wherein at least one of the staple cartridge or the anvil plate includes a pair of recesses that frictionally engage the anchor.

19. A method of securing a surgical buttress to at least one of a cartridge assembly or an anvil assembly, the method comprising:

applying a surgical buttress to a tissue facing surface of at least one of a cartridge assembly or an anvil assembly;

applying at least one of heat or pressure on the respective cartridge assembly or anvil assembly so that the surgical buttress conforms to the shape of the tissue facing surface by deforming the surgical buttress into staple retaining pockets and a knife slot of the cartridge assembly or staple forming pockets and a knife slot of the anvil assembly to which the surgical buttress is applied, thereby increasing the contact area between the surgical buttress and the tissue facing surface.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of applying at least one of heat or pressure further includes the step of applying pressure with a patterned press.