# US 10,245,031 B2 · Surgical apparatus including surgical buttress

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- Number: US 10,245,031 B2
- Document ID: US10245031B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/048,257
- Filed: 2016-02-19
- Published: 2016-06-09
- Granted: 2019-04-02
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: Covidien LP
- Applicants: Covidien LP
- Inventors: Gerald N. Hodgkinson; Scott J. Prior
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10245031B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/068: Surgical staplers {, e.g. containing multiple staples or clamps}({staplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105;} for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; {staplers in general B25C5/00})
- A61B 17/07292: {Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets}
- A61B 17/105: {Wound clamp magazines (for packaging sharps A61B50/3001)}
- A61B 17/3209: Incision instruments
- A61B 2017/00526: {Methods of manufacturing}
- A61B 2017/07264: {characterised by its staple forming cavities, e.g. geometry or material}
- A61B 2017/07271: {characterised by its cartridge}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

A surgical stapling apparatus includes a housing and an end effector secured to the housing. The housing supports a knife assembly including a knife. The end effector has first and second jaw members. One or both of the first and second jaw members define a knife channel. The first jaw member defines fastener slots and the second jaw member defines fastener pockets. One or more of the knife channel, the fastener slots, and the fastener pockets includes lateral recesses. Fasteners are disposed in the fastener slots and formed by the fastener pockets. One or more surgical buttresses have a body that overlies one or both of the fastener slots and the fastener pockets. Portions of the body of the one or more surgical buttresses are disposed within the lateral recesses to secure the one or more surgical buttresses to one or both of the first jaw member and the second jaw member.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of attaching a surgical buttress to an anvil assembly or a cartridge assembly of a surgical stapler, comprising:
depositing an interlocking material onto a buttress body of the surgical buttress at one or more predetermined locations;
applying heat to the buttress body to melt the interlocking material;
allowing a portion of the interlocking material at each of the predetermined locations to pass into at least one lateral recess defined in the cartridge assembly or anvil assembly, the at least one lateral recess being defined by a plurality of walls, wherein at least two of the plurality of walls taper in opposing directions relative to one another from a buttress receiving end of the least one lateral recess to form a flared configuration; and
solidifying the interlocking material so that the interlocking material mechanically interlocks within the at least one lateral recess.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking material is overmolded onto the buttress body.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking material is a degradable polymer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the buttress body is porous.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, further comprising allowing the interlocking material to solidify within pores of the buttress body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying pressure to the buttress body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the degradable polymer is passed into pores defined in the buttress body as the interlocking material is passed into the at least one lateral recess.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking material has a melting temperature below a melting temperature of the buttress body.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the interlocking material is a degradable polymer including one or more of the following: glycolide, glycolic acid, lactic acid, caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate, and lactide.