SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGE WITH SELF-DISPENSING STAPLE BUTTRESS

• US 20130062394A1
• Filed: 09/13/2011
• Published: 03/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Thomas W. Lytle IV
• Inventors: Smith, Bret W., Miller, Matthew C., Wang, Yi-Lan, Zavatsky, Joseph, Modi, Kreena, Zingman, Aron O., Lytle, Thomas W. IV
• Granted Patent: US 9,101,359 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 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes a handle portion, a shaft housing a firing bar, an end effector comprising an anvil, a lower jaw, and a stapling and severing assembly responsive to a longitudinal closing motion produced by the handle portion and the shaft. The lower jaw is configured to receive a removable cartridge when in an open position. The cartridge includes a housing, a plurality of staples disposed in the housing, and a deck disposed over the plurality of staples. The deck defines apertures, with each aperture being substantially disposed over each staple. The instrument includes a movable buttress that is integral with the housing of the cartridge or integral with the lower jaw of the end effector. The buttress may attach to the anvil and include a portion to receive tissue. The receipt of tissue urges and moves the buttress proximally inwards to further encompass the tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument, comprising:

(a) a handle portion;

(b) a shaft housing a firing bar;

(c) an end effector comprising an anvil, a lower jaw, and a stapling and severing assembly responsive to a longitudinal closing motion produced by the handle portion and the shaft;

(d) a removable cartridge, wherein the lower jaw is configured to receive a cartridge when the end effector is in an open configuration, the cartridge comprising;

(i) a housing,

(ii) a plurality of staples disposed in the housing, and

(iii) a deck disposed over the plurality of staples, the deck defining apertures, each aperture being substantially disposed over each staple; and

(e) a movable buttress that is integral with the housing of the cartridge or integral with the lower jaw of the end effector, the buttress being movable relative to the cartridge and relative to the end effector.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress is disposed in a roll within the housing of the cartridge.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein the roll is resiliently biased.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress is disposed in a substantially flat position within the housing of the cartridge.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 4, wherein a free end of the buttress is configured to travel freely within the housing of the cartridge.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the housing of the cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, wherein the cartridge pan defines interior walls, wherein the interior walls are configured to receive the buttress in a substantially flat position.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, the housing of the cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, wherein the buttress is disposed in a substantially flat position on an exterior, underside surface of the cartridge pan.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the housing of the cartridge comprises a cartridge pan, wherein underside of the cartridge pan includes exterior walls, wherein the exterior walls are configured to receive buttress in a substantially flat position.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress is disposed in a substantially flat position along an interior surface of the lower jaw of the end effector, wherein the interior surface is configured to receive the removable cartridge.

10. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the lower jaw of the end effector comprises interior walls, wherein the interior walls are configured to receive the removable cartridge, wherein the interior walls are further configured to receive the buttress in a substantially flat position.

11. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein an end of the buttress comprises a fastener.

12. The surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein a distal end of the anvil defines an opening configured to receive the fastener of the buttress.

13. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress comprises a biocompatible material selected from a group consisting of at least one of the following materials:

epsilon-caprolactone glycolide, bovine pericardium, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglactin, polydioxanone, polyglyconate, whey protein, cellulose gum, starch, gelatin, silk, nylon, polypropylene, braided polyester, polybutester, polyethylene, and polyetheretherketones.

14. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress comprises one of fibrin or thrombin.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the buttress is configured to provide reinforcement to the mechanical integrity of the staples when the staples are driven through the buttress and towards the anvil.

16. A method of using a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument including an end effector, a handle portion, and a shaft, the end effector including a lower jaw and an anvil, the lower jaw being configured to receive a removable cartridge, the removable cartridge or the lower jaw including a retained portion of a movable buttress, the instrument further including a stapling and severing assembly responsive to a longitudinal closing motion produced by the handle portion and the shaft, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) fastening an end of the movable buttress to a distal end of the anvil to create an exposed portion of the buttress from the retained portion of the buttress as the retained portion is directed away from the selected one of the removable cartridge or the lower jaw toward the anvil;

(b) receiving tissue within the exposed portion of the buttress such that the exposed portion of the buttress wraps around the tissue; and

(c) advancing the end effector distally toward the tissue, the tissue concurrently urging the exposed portion of the buttress proximally inward within the end effector.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of advancing the end effector distally toward the tissue comprises moving the buttress proximally inward such that more of the retained portion of the buttress becomes part of the exposed portion of the buttress and concurrently wrapping the increasingly exposed portion of the buttress around the tissue.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

(a) activating the stapling and severing assembly to drive at least one of staples or a firing bar through the buttress; and

(b) depositing a substantial amount of the buttress onto the tissue.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the buttress comprises a biocompatible material selected from a group consisting of at least one of the following materials:

fibrin, thrombin, epsilon-caprolactone glycolide, bovine pericardium, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglactin, polydioxanone, polyglyconate, whey protein, cellulose gum, starch, gelatin, silk, nylon, polypropylene, polyester, polybutester, polyethylene, and polyetheretherketones.

20. A surgical instrument comprising:

(a) a handle portion and a shaft, the shaft housing a firing bar;

(b) a stapling and severing assembly responsive to a longitudinal closing motion produced by the handle portion and the shaft, (c) an end effector connected to the shaft, the end effector comprising an anvil and a lower jaw, the lower jaw being configured to receive a cartridge when in an open position;

(d) a plurality of staples disposed in a housing of the cartridge, the anvil being configured to form the staples in response to a longitudinal closing motion when the lower jaw with the cartridge is in a closed position;

(e) a deck disposed over the plurality of staples, the deck defining apertures, each aperture being substantially disposed over each staple; and

(f) a biocompatible material releasably attached to the one of the lower jaw or within the housing of the cartridge;

wherein the firing bar is operable to move between the anvil and the cartridge to sever the material; and

wherein the staples are operable to be driven towards the anvil in response to a longitudinal closing motion and through the material.