Surgical staple
AssigneeMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company
InventorsThomas H. Barrows, Harold E. Froehlich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical staple and method for its use in closing an opening in mammalian tissue are disclosed. The staple comprises a central portion of strong, ductile, non-absorbable material and lower leg portions of absorbable material positioned at opposite ends of the central portion. The staple when closed is bent in the central portion to form a crown portion, so that the lower leg portions are in positions which approximate one another. After engagement, the lower leg portions extend through the tissue on either side of a closed opening so as to hold the tissue firmly in the closed position. After sufficient tissue healing has occurred, the biodegradable lower leg portions will loosen from the central portion, thus allowing for facile removal of the central portion.
Claims16
A surgical staple for use in closing an opening in mammalian tissue, said staple, when open, comprising a central portion of strong, ductile, non-absorbable material, and lower leg portions at opposite ends of the central portion, said lower leg portions comprising bioabsorbable material and flanking said central portion, said lower leg portions having points at their ends and being joined by coupling means to said central portion, such staple when closed is bent in the central portion to form a crown portion and upper leg portions which with said lower leg portions form generally into a closed shape with said lower leg portions in a position approximating one another so that each of said lower leg portions of the staple can extend through the tissue on one side of the closed opening so as to hold said tissue firmly in closed position.
A method of surgically stapling mammalian tissue comprising the steps of:
- (a) implanting at least one staple which when open comprises a central portion of strong, ductile, non-absorbable material, and lower leg portions at opposite ends of the central portion, said lower leg portions comprising bioabsorbable material and flanking said central potion, said lower leg portions having points at their ends and being joined by coupling means to said central portion, which staple when closed is bent in the central portion to form a crown portion and upper leg portions which with said lower leg portions form generally into a closed shape with said lower leg portions in a position approximating one another so that each of said lower leg portions of the staple can extend through the tissue on one side of the closed opening so as to hold said tissue firmly in closed position, and
- (b) removing said central portion of said staple when sufficient tissue healing has occurred and said bioabsorbable lower legs have loosened sufficiently to allow removal of said central portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.