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US 11,446,032 B2Granted
Compressible non-fibrous adjuncts
AssigneeCilag GmbH International
InventorsJason L. Harris, Michael J. Vendely, Frederick E. Shelton, IV
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Stapling assemblies for use with a surgical stapler are provided. In one exemplary embodiment, the stapling assembly includes a cartridge having a plurality of staples disposed therein and a non-fibrous adjunct formed of at least one fused bioabsorbable polymer and configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge. Adjunct systems for use with a surgical stapler are also provided. Surgical end effectors using the stapling assemblies are also provided. Methods for manufacturing stapling assemblies and using the same are also provided.
Claims24
A surgical end effector for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
- a cartridge and an anvil movable relative to the cartridge between open and closed positions, the cartridge having a plurality of staples disposed therein, the plurality of staples being configured to be deployed into tissue;
- and
- a non-fibrous adjunct formed of at least one fused bioabsorbable polymer and configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge such that the adjunct can be attached to tissue by the plurality of staples in the cartridge, the adjunct having a first end, a second end, and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, the adjunct comprising,
- a cartridge-contacting surface,
- a tissue-contacting surface that is opposite the cartridge-contacting surface, wherein at least a portion of the tissue-contacting surface is curved, and
- an internal structure extending between the cartridge-contacting surface and the tissue-contacting surface, the internal structure being formed of a first lattice and a second lattice that is interposed between the first lattice and the cartridge, the first lattice having a first compressive strength and the second lattice having a second compressive strength that is greater than the first compressive strength, wherein at least one of the first lattice and the second lattice comprise a plurality of unit cells, and wherein each unit cell is a triply periodic minimal surface structure;
- wherein the adjunct has an uncompressed thickness that at least partially varies in a lateral direction relative to the longitudinal axis of the adjunct to thereby create a variable tissue gap between the anvil and the adjunct when the adjunct is releasably retained on the cartridge and the anvil is in a closed position without tissue therebetween, and wherein, the adjunct, when in a tissue deployed state, applies a generally uniform pressure to the tissue stapled thereto for a predetermined period of time.
4 more elements
A surgical end effector for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
- a cartridge and an anvil movable relative to the cartridge between open and closed positions, the cartridge having a plurality of staples disposed therein, the plurality of staples being configured to be deployed into tissue;
- and
- a non-fibrous adjunct formed of at least one fused bioabsorbable polymer and configured to be releasably retained on at least a portion of the top surface of the cartridge such that the adjunct can be attached to tissue by the plurality of staples in the cartridge, the adjunct having a cartridge-contacting surface and a tissue-contacting surface that is opposite the cartridge-contacting surface, the adjunct comprising,
- a first lattice structure having first compressive strength, the first lattice extending from a first top surface and a first bottom surface that opposes the first top surface, wherein the first bottom surface defines the cartridge-contacting surface;
- a second lattice structure disposed on at least the first top surface of the first lattice structure, the second lattice structure having a second compressive strength that is less than the first compressive strength, the second lattice extending from a second top surface and a second bottom surface that is opposite the second top surface, wherein the second top surface defines at least a portion of the tissue-contacting surface;
- wherein at least one of the first lattice structure and the second lattice structure comprise a plurality of unit cells, and wherein each unit cell is a triply periodic minimal surface structure;
- and
- wherein the adjunct has proximal and distal ends and a longitudinal axis extending therebetween, and wherein the adjunct has a variable compression strength along a length that extends along the longitudinal axis such that the adjunct, when in a tissue deployed state, applies a generally uniform pressure to the tissue stapled thereto for a predetermined period of time.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.