Devices and methods for sealing staples in tissue
AssigneeEthicon, Inc.
InventorsMichael J. Vendely, Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason L. Harris, Andrew Poskie
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Devices and methods for sealing staples in tissue using adjuncts coupled to an individual staple are described herein. In one embodiment, a staple cartridge assembly is described that can include a cartridge body having a plurality of staple cavities, where each staple cavity has a surgical staple disposed therein. The assembly can also include a plurality of adjuncts, where each adjunct is disposed around at least one leg of a surgical staple such that each adjunct forms a seal around the at least one leg of the surgical staple upon deployment of the surgical staple from the cartridge body.
Claims16
A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
- a cartridge body configured to be disposed within a jaw of a surgical stapler, the cartridge body having a plurality of staple cavities, each staple cavity having a surgical staple disposed therein, each of the surgical staples having a pair of legs, each of the legs of the surgical staple having an adjunct that is disposed therearound prior to the cartridge body being disposed within the jaw and that is movable independent of the adjunct disposed around the other leg of the surgical staple, and each adjunct forming a fluid tight seal around the leg of the surgical staple around which the adjunct is disposed upon deployment of the surgical staple from the cartridge body.
A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
- a cartridge body having a plurality of staple cavities;
- a plurality of surgical staples disposed within the plurality of staple cavities and configured to be ejected therefrom into tissue;
- and
- a plurality of sealing adjuncts disposed within the plurality of staple cavities and each associated with one of the surgical staples, each of the sealing adjuncts being configured to slide along its associated one of the surgical staples during ejection of the associated one of the surgical staples from the cartridge body and then be ejected from the cartridge body, the sealing adjuncts each being formed from at least one flowable or swellable material.
A method for stapling tissue, comprising:
- engaging tissue between a cartridge assembly and an anvil of a surgical stapler, the cartridge assembly having disposed therein at least one staple having a sealing adjunct disposed around at least one leg of the at least one staple;
- and
- after the engagement of the tissue, actuating the surgical stapler to eject at least one staple from the cartridge assembly into the tissue and thereby form a puncture in the tissue, wherein the at least one leg of the at least one staple moves through the sealing adjunct during the ejection such that the sealing adjunct expands and forms a fluid tight seal of the puncture between the tissue and the at least one leg.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.