Compressible adjuncts with healing-dependent degradation profile

Abstract

A compressible adjunct for use with a staple cartridge is provided and includes a biocompatible adjunct material configured to be releasably retained on a staple cartridge and configured to be delivered to tissue by deployment of staples in the staple cartridge. The adjunct material is formed from a porous polymer body and is configured to exhibit a first stiffness in compression that is approximately constant during a first time period from contact with the tissue. The adjunct material is further configured to exhibit a second stiffness in compression during a second time period following the first time period. The second stiffness is less than the first stiffness and is configured to decrease with time as a function of at least one of oxidation, enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis, and change of pH resulting from interaction with at least one physiological element released from the tissue during healing progression of the tissue.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.