Tissue thickness compensator configured to redistribute compressive forces

A stapling system for stapling the tissue of a patient, said stapling system comprising:

• a staple cartridge, comprising:
• a deck;
• a longitudinal slot configured to receive a firing driver, wherein said firing driver moves through said staple cartridge during a staple firing stroke;
• staple cavities defined in said deck;
• and
• staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities during said staple firing stroke, wherein said staples are arranged in a plurality of longitudinal staple rows, wherein said plurality of longitudinal staple rows comprises a first longitudinal staple row and a second longitudinal staple row;
• and
• an adjunct, comprising:
• a tissue thickness compensator comprising a cartridge-facing surface, wherein said tissue thickness compensator comprises:
• a plurality of first openings defined in said cartridge-facing surface, wherein at least one of said first openings is aligned with said first longitudinal staple row;
• and
• a plurality of second openings that are larger than said plurality of first openings;
• and
• an attachment layer, wherein said attachment layer adhesively attaches said adjunct to said deck of said staple cartridge, and wherein each staple is configured to capture a portion of said adjunct, capture a portion of the patient tissue, and apply a compressive force to the patient tissue during said staple firing stroke.

A stapling system for stapling the tissue of a patient, said stapling system comprising:

• a staple cartridge, comprising:
• a deck;
• a longitudinal slot configured to receive a firing driver, wherein said firing driver moves through said staple cartridge during a staple firing stroke;
• staple cavities defined in said deck;
• staple drivers;
• and
• staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities during said staple firing stroke;
• and
• an adjunct, comprising:
• a tissue thickness compensator, comprising:
• a plurality of first porous openings;
• and
• a plurality of second porous openings that are larger than said plurality of first porous openings;
• and
• an attachment layer, wherein said attachment layer adhesively attaches said adjunct to said deck of said staple cartridge, wherein each staple is configured to capture a portion of said adjunct, capture a portion of the patient tissue, and apply a compressive force to the patient tissue during said staple firing stroke, and wherein said first porous openings and said second porous openings are configured to be collapsed during said staple firing stroke, and
• wherein said adjunct comprises cutout regions aligned with and facing each of said staple cavities in said deck of said staple cartridge.

A stapling system for stapling the tissue of a patient, said stapling system comprising:

• a staple cartridge, comprising:
• a deck;
• a longitudinal slot configured to receive a firing driver, wherein said firing driver moves through said staple cartridge during a staple firing stroke;
• staple cavities defined in said deck;
• staple drivers;
• and
• staples removably stored in said staple cavities, wherein said staples are configured to be ejected from said staple cavities during said staple firing stroke;
• and
• an adjunct, comprising:
• a tissue thickness compensator, comprising:
• a plurality of first porous openings;
• and
• a plurality of second porous openings that are larger than said plurality of first porous openings;
• and
• an attachment layer, wherein said attachment layer adhesively attaches said adjunct to said deck of said staple cartridge, wherein each staple is configured to capture a portion of said adjunct, capture a portion of the patient tissue, and apply a compressive force to the patient tissue during said staple firing stroke, and wherein said first porous openings and said second porous openings are configured to be collapsed during said staple firing stroke, and
• wherein said deck comprises a plurality of projections extending above said deck adjacent to said staple cavities, and wherein said plurality of projections extend into said adjunct.