Surgical fastener apparatus and reinforcing material
AssigneeTowerTech Research Group
InventorsRoger de la Torre, Matthew LaConte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A surgical fastener apparatus is provided with a reinforcement material holder, where the holder positions a sheet of reinforcement material adjacent body tissue that is sutured by a plurality of surgical staples dispensed by the apparatus.
Claims20
A surgical fastener dispensing apparatus comprising:
- a surgical fastener dispensing member on the apparatus that is operative to dispense at least one surgical fastener;
- a surgical fastener receiving member on the apparatus that is positioned opposite the surgical fastener dispensing member and is operative to receive a surgical fastener dispensed from the surgical fastener dispensing member and to alter the surgical fastener received;
- a reinforcement material holder on the apparatus that is positioned between the surgical fastener dispensing member and the surgical fastener receiving member;
- and
- reinforcement material that is removably mounted on the reinforcement material holder and is positioned between the surgical fastener dispensing member and the surgical fastener receiving member.
A reinforcement for a surgical fastener dispensing apparatus having a surgical fastener dispensing member and a surgical fastener receiving member positioned on opposite sides of a reinforcement material holder, the reinforcement comprising:
- a sheet of reinforcement material having a length between opposite end edges of the sheet and a width between opposite side edges of the sheet, the opposite side edges of the sheet being adapted for removable attachment to the reinforcement material holder of the surgical fastener dispensing apparatus.
A method of reinforcing surgical fasteners placed in body tissue, the method comprising:
- providing a surgical fastener apparatus with a reinforcement sheet holder that is positioned between a fastener dispensing member and a fastener receiving member of the surgical fastener apparatus;
- removably mounting a sheet of reinforcement material on the reinforcement sheet holder;
- positioning the sheet of reinforcement material adjacent body tissue to be sutured;
- dispensing a surgical fastener from the fastener dispensing member through the sheet of reinforcement material and through the adjacent body tissue;
- and,
- securing the surgical fastener extending through the sheet of reinforcement material and through the adjacent body tissue.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.