Buttress material for a surgical stapling instrument

Abstract

A piece of buttress material and an end-effector of a surgical instrument including features which can aid a surgeon in properly and quickly attaching the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In various embodiments, a piece of buttress material can include retention features which can be engaged with portions of an end-effector to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to at least a portion of the end-effector. Similarly, an end-effector can include features configured to engage portions of a piece of buttress material to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In at least one embodiment, more than one piece of buttress material can be releasably retained to an end-effector.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]i. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention generally relates to buttress material for a surgical instrument, and to buttress material configured to be releasably attached to an end-effector assembly of a surgical instrument.[0003]ii. Description of the Related Art[0004]A surgical instrument, such as a surgical stapler, for example, can be configured to deploy staples into tissue during a surgical procedure. In various embodiments, the surgical stapler can include an end-effector configured to be positioned on a distal end of the surgical stapler. The end-effector can be configured to be positioned within, and slid at least partially through, a cannula, or trocar, positioned in a wall of a patient's body such that a surgeon can utilize the end-effector to perform work within a surgical site. In various embodiments, the end-effector can comprise a first jaw member including a staple cartridge and, additionally, a second jaw member including an anvil. The firs...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes various ways to attach a piece of buttress material to a surgical instrument, such as a staple cartridge or an anvil. The buttress material can be attached using features like a member that fits into a staple cartridge or an anvil pocket, or a detachable clip. The buttress material can also have a co-operating feat with the instrument, like lips or resilient members, that help align and retain the buttress material. The buttress material can also be attached using an unactivated adhesive that allows for easy positioning and alignment, followed by activation to securely attach the buttress material to the instrument. These features make it easier for surgeons to attach and use the buttress material during surgical procedures.

Problems solved by technology

In some circumstances, the layers of tissue can be relatively thin, can have a high fluid content, and / or can have a non-uniform thickness, which can cause the staples to be improperly formed within the tissue.

In various embodiments, a piece of buttress material can be difficult for a surgeon to attach to the jaw members of an end-effector.

As a result, the surgeon can spend valuable time positioning and aligning a piece of buttress material on a jaw member of an end-effector.

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