Surgical staples having dissolvable, bioabsorbable or biofragmentable portions and stapling instruments for deploying the same

• US 8,365,976 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hess, Christopher J., Murray, Michael A., Morgan, Jerome R., Voegele, James W., Gill, Robert, Clem, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Desai, Hemant M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weeks, Gloria R
• Application Number:
  US11/541,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20080078808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,321 Days
• Field of Search: 227/181.1, 227/175.1, 606/219, 606/151
• US Class Current: 227/181.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• 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 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1114 of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/115 Staplers for performing anastomosis in a single operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1155 Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/34 Trocars; Puncturing needles pointed biopsy instruments A61B10/0233; devices for piercing the ear-lobes A44C7/001; seals or hemostasis valves A61M39/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00004 (bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00128 related to intensity or progress of surgical action
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00539 hydraulically
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00831 Material properties
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00862 elastic or resilient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0641 having at least three legs as part of one single body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07228 Arrangement of the staples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07242 achieving different staple heights during the same shot, e.g. using an anvil anvil having different heights or staples of different sizes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0725 : with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07257 : characterised by its anvil
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07264 : characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 : characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 : characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07285 : characterised by its cutter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2932 : Transmission of forces to jaw members
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2943 : Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320052 : Guides for cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00666 : using a threshold value
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/032 : pressure limiting, e.g. hydrostatic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 : abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 : for measuring contact or contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 : for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 : Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

A surgical staple including a crown comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material, a first deformable member, and a second member. In at least one embodiment, the crown connects the first member and the second member, however, after the crown has been dissolved, the first member is unconnected to the second member and, as a result, the first and second members can move relative to each other. Accordingly, the staple can be rigid during the early stages of healing and can be flexible during the latter stages of healing, for example. In various embodiments, the first and second members of the staple are also comprised of a dissolvable, bioabsorbable, or biofragmentable material. In these embodiments, the first and second members can be constructed so that the crown and first and second members dissolve at different rates and/or dissolve away at different times.

Claims

1. A surgical staple for stapling tissue, comprising:

a crown, said crown comprised of a dissolvable material;

a first deformable member comprising a tissue-piercing end, wherein said first deformable member is configured to hold tissue after it has been deformed; and

a second member configured to hold tissue, said crown connecting said first deformable member and said second member when said crown is undissolved, said first deformable member being unconnected to said second member after said crown has been dissolved, wherein said first deformable member and said second member are configured to hold tissue independently of one another after said crown has been dissolved.

2. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said crown further includes at least one second material, wherein said second material comprises a therapeutic drug, and wherein the dissolution of said crown releases said therapeutic drug.

3. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said crown comprises a first side and a second side, wherein said second side is opposite said first side, wherein said first deformable member and said second member extend from said first side, and wherein said first deformable member and said second member do not extend from said second side.

4. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said crown comprises:

a first end adjacent said first deformable member; and

a second end adjacent said second member.

5. The surgical staple of claim 4, wherein said first deformable member is configured to be deformed toward said second end.

6. The surgical staple of claim 1, wherein said first deformable member includes a first leg and a second leg, and wherein said first leg is deformable such that, after said first leg has been deformed, said first leg and said second leg define an at least substantially enclosed area for holding tissue.

7. A surgical staple for stapling tissue, comprising:

a crown, said crown comprised of a first dissolvable material;

a first deformable member comprising a tissue-piercing end, wherein said first deformable member is configured to hold tissue after it has been deformed; and

a second member configured to hold tissue, said crown connecting said first deformable member and said second member when said crown is undissolved, said first deformable member being unconnected to said second member after said crown has been dissolved, wherein at least one of said first deformable member and said second member are comprised of a second dissolvable material which dissolves at a slower rate than said first dissolvable material such that at least one of said first deformable member and said second member is configured to hold tissue after said crown has been dissolved.

8. The surgical staple of claim 7, wherein said second dissolvable material includes at least one of iron and magnesium.

9. The surgical staple of claim 7, wherein said crown comprises a first side and a second side, wherein said second side is opposite said first side, wherein said first deformable member and said second member extend from said first side, and wherein said first deformable member and said second member do not extend from said second side.

10. The surgical staple of claim 7, wherein said crown comprises:

a first end adjacent said first deformable member; and

a second end adjacent said second member.

11. The surgical staple of claim 10, wherein said first deformable member is configured to be deformed toward said second end.

12. The surgical staple of claim 7, wherein said first deformable member includes a first leg and a second leg, and wherein said first leg is deformable such that, after said first leg has been deformed, said first leg and said second leg define an at least substantially enclosed area for holding tissue.