Circular stapler and staple line reinforcement material
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorsGerald N. Hodgkinson, Richard Stevenson, Jennifer Whiffen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A surgical stapling instrument comprises a staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of rows of staple receiving slots, an anvil assembly having an anvil member defining a plurality of rows of staple forming recesses, the staple cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly, or both, having one or more attachment members; and a staple line reinforcement material attached to the attachment members by ultrasonic welding. The staple line reinforcement material can be attached to an anvil assembly utilizing a retainer.
Claims15
A method of assembling a surgical stapling instrument, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a staple cartridge assembly having a tissue contacting surface including a plurality of rows of staple receiving slots,
- providing an anvil assembly having an anvil member with a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of rows of staple forming recesses, the staple cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly, or both, having one or more attachment members attached to the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge assembly, the anvil assembly, or both;
- providing staple line reinforcement material;
- securing the staple line reinforcement material to the attachment members by ultrasonic welding, wherein the ultrasonic welding is between the staple line reinforcement material and the attachment members.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.