Tissue stapler having a thickness compensator incorporating a hydrophilic agent

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, wherein said staple cartridge assembly is adapted to be used with tissue having a thickness within a range of tissue thicknesses, said staple cartridge assembly comprising:

• a cartridge body comprising a support portion, wherein said support portion comprises a plurality of staple cavities, and wherein each said staple cavity comprises an opening;
• a plurality of staples, wherein at least a portion of each said staple is removably stored within a said staple cavity, wherein each said staple is movable between an unfired position and a fired position, wherein each said staple is deformable between an unfired configuration and a fired configuration when each said staple is moved between a said unfired position and a said fired position, and wherein each said staple comprises:
• a base;
• and
• at least one leg extending from said base, wherein said at least one leg is deformable to capture said tissue between said at least one leg and said base when each said staple is deformed between said unfired configuration and said fired configuration;
• and
• compressible compensation means for dynamically biasing said tissue against at least one of said leg and said base, wherein said compressible compensation means is configured to dynamically assume a different compressed height within different said staples, wherein said compressible thickness compensator comprises a bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent embedded therein,
• wherein said compressible compensation means comprises a dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density configured to adaptively respond to tissue having different thicknesses, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises an uncompressed hydrophilic agent density, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a first compressed hydrophilic agent density in a first said staple in response to tissue having a first thickness in said first staple, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a second compressed hydrophilic agent density in a second said staple in response to tissue having a second thickness in said second staple, wherein the first thickness is different than the second thickness, and wherein said first density is different than said second density.

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, wherein said staple cartridge assembly is adapted to be used with tissue having a thickness within a range of tissue thicknesses, said staple cartridge assembly comprising:

• a cartridge body comprising a support portion, wherein said support portion comprises a plurality of staple cavities, and wherein each said staple cavity comprises an opening;
• a plurality of staples, wherein at least a portion of each said staple is removably stored within a said staple cavity, wherein each said staple is movable between an unfired position and a fired position, wherein each said staple is deformable between an unfired configuration and a fired configuration when each said staple is moved between a said unfired position and a said fired position, and wherein each said staple comprises:
• a base;
• and
• at least one leg extending from said base, wherein said at least one leg is deformable to capture said tissue between said at least one leg and said base when each said staple is deformed between said unfired configuration and said fired configuration, wherein each said staple defines a deformed height in said fired configuration, and wherein said deformed height of at least some of said staples is larger than said tissue thickness whereby a gap distance is defined between said tissue and a portion of each said staple;
• and
• tissue thickness compensation means for resiliently filling each said gap distance, wherein said tissue thickness compensation means is configured to resiliently assume a different compressed height within different said staples, wherein said compressible thickness compensator comprises a bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent embedded therein,
• wherein said tissue thickness compensation means comprises a dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density configured to adaptively respond to tissue having different thicknesses, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises an initial hydrophilic agent density, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a first compressed hydrophilic agent density in a first said staple in response to tissue having a first thickness in said first staple, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a second compressed hydrophilic agent density in a second said staple in response to tissue having a second thickness in said second staple, wherein the first thickness is different than the second thickness, and wherein said first density is different than said second density.