Surgical stapling apparatus and method with surgical fabric

• US 5,964,774 A
• Filed: 09/12/1997
• Issued: 10/12/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: United States Surgical Corporation (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Koyfman, Ilya S., Hain, Matthew, McKean, Wanda L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THUY D
• Application Number:
  US08/928,090
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 606/148, 606/151, 606/213, 606/215, 606/219, 606/220, 606/139
• US Class Current: 606/151
• 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 2017/07214 Stapler heads

Abstract

A surgical stapling apparatus having tissue bolstering material disposed thereon for application of the material and staples to body tissue. Two tissue bolstering members are preferably provided, each member being generally planar in configuration, wherein a first member corresponds to the dimensions of the tissue contacting surface of a staple cartridge and a second member corresponds to the dimensions of the tissue contacting surface of an anvil. In use, tissue is disposed between the anvil and the staple cartridge and the instrument is fired, thereby securing the tissue bolstering material to the tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical apparatus for driving surgical fasteners into body tissue comprising:

a first jaw structure for housing a plurality of surgical fasteners and having an outer perimetal surface;

a second jaw structure being disposed in juxaposed alinnment with the first jaw structure to effect closure of said plurality of fasteners and having an outer perimetal surface; and

a biocompatible surgical fabric disposed around the outer perimetal surface of at least one of the first and second jaw structures, the fabric having an interior surface and an exterior surface, such that the interior surface of the fabric faces the outer perimetal surface of the first or second jaw structure when the fabric is disposed around the jaw structure.

2. A method of applying surgical bolstering material to body tissue comprising:

providing a surgical stapler having an anvil jaw and a staple cartridge jaw, the anvil jaw having a plurality of contiguous surfaces defining a cross-section which includes a tissue contacting surface, and the staple cartridge jaw having a plurality of contiguous surfaces defining a cross-section which includes a tissue contacting surface;

providing a first bolstering member fabricated solely from biocompatible material on one of the jaws, said first bolstering member being shaped to contact each of the plurality of contiguous surfaces defining the cross-section of the jaw on which it is disposed, the first bolstering material substantially covering the tissue contacting surface of the jaw on which it is disposed;

disposing the first bolstering member over the tissue contacting surface of one of the jaws;

providing a second bolstering member fabricated solely from biocompatible materials, said second bolstering member being shaped to substantially cover the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw;

disposing the second bolstering member over the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw;

positioning the stapler jaws having the bolstering members disposed thereon on either side of tissue to be stapled; and

firing the stapler to drive staples through the bolstering members and tissue.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of providing the first and second bolstering members further comprise providing bolstering members fabricated from a biocompatible fabric.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the steps of providing the first and second bolstering members further comprise providing bolstering members fabricated from polytetrafluoroethylene.

5. The method according to claim 2, further comprising the steps of securing the second bolstering member to the staple cartridge jaw by a plurality of pins and/or clips.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the second bolstering member is disposed in a plurality of contiguous planes and shaped to contact each of the plurality of surfaces of the staple cartridge jaw.

7. A surgical apparatus comprising:

a surgical stapler having an anvil jaw and a staple cartridge jaw, the anvil jaw having a plurality of contiguous surfaces defining a cross-section which includes a tissue contacting surface of a first dimension, and the staple cartridge jaw having a plurality of contiguous surfaces defining a cross-section which includes a tissue contacting surface of a second dimension;

a first bolstering member fabricated solely from biocompatible material disposed on one of the jaws, said first bolstering member being shaped to contact each of the plurality of contiguous surfaces defining the cross-section of the jaw on which it is disposed, the first bolstering material substantially covering the first dimension of the tissue contacting surface of the jaw on which it is disposed; and

a second bolstering member fabricated solely from biocompatible material disposed on the other of said jaws, said second bolstering member being shaped to substantially cover the second dimension of the tissue contacting surface of the other jaw.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the first and second bolstering members are fabricated from a biocompatible fabric.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the the first and second bolstering members are fabricated from polytetrafluoroethylene.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a plurality of pins and/or clips to at least partially secure the second bolstering member to the staple cartridge jaw.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second bolstering member is disposed in a plurality of contiguous planes and shaped to contact each of the plurality of surfaces of the staple cartridge jaw.