Tissue stapler having a thickness compensator incorporating an anti-microbial agent

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9307965-B2
Application number	US-201213531627-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 25, 2012
Priority date	Sep 30, 2010
Publication date	Apr 12, 2016
Grant date	Apr 12, 2016

Abstract

A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler. The assembly has a cartridge body having a support portion with a plurality of staple cavities with openings. There is also a plurality of staples, wherein at least a portion of each the staple is removably stored within a the staple cavity. Each the staple is movable between an unfired position and a fired position, and is deformable between an unfired configuration and a fired configuration. The assembly also includes a compressible tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured within the staples. The compressible tissue thickness compensator at least partially covers the staple cavity openings. The compressed tissue thickness compensator is configured to assume different compressed heights within different the staples. The compressible tissue thickness compensator comprising a lyophilized foam having an anti-microbial agent embedded therein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. 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, 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, and 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
a compressible tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured within said staples, wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator at least partially covers said staple cavity openings, wherein said support portion is configured to support said compressible tissue thickness compensator, and wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator is configured to assume a different compressed height within different said staples, said compressible tissue thickness compensator comprising a lyophilized foam including an antimicrobial generating agent embedded therein,
wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator comprises a dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density configured to adaptively respond to tissue having different thicknesses, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises an uncompressed antimicrobial generating agent density when said compressible tissue thickness compensator is in an uncompressed state, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises a first compressed antimicrobial generating agent density in a first said staple in response to tissue having a first thickness in said first staple, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises a second compressed antimicrobial generating agent density in a said second 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.

2. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said antimicrobial generating agent comprises at least one of: Triclosan, Chlorhexidine, Silver formulations (like nano- crystalline silver), LAE (Lauric arginate ethyl ester), Octenidine, PHMB (Polyhexamethylene Biguanide), and Taurolidine.

3. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator comprises an uncompressed thickness which is thicker than the thickness of said tissue.

4. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, and wherein said first density is greater than said second density.

5. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 1 , wherein said antimicrobial generating agent comprises at least one of: Triclosan and Chlorhexidine.

6. 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, said compressible compensation means comprising a lyophilized foam including an antimicrobial generating agent embedded therein,
wherein said compressible compensation means comprises a dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density configured to adaptively respond to tissue having different thicknesses, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises an uncompressed antimicrobial generating agent density, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises a first compressed antimicrobial generating agent density in a first said staple in response to tissue having a first thickness in said first staple, wherein said dynamic antimicrobial generating agent density comprises a second compressed antimicrobial generating 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.

7. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 6 , wherein said antimicrobial generating agent comprises at least one of: Triclosan, Chlorhexidine, Silver formulations (like nano- crystalline silver), LAE (Laurie arginate ethyl ester), Octenidine, PHMB (Polyhexamethylene Biguanide), and Taurolidine.

8. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 6 , wherein said compressible compensation means removably covers said staple cavity openings.

9. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 6 , wherein said compressible compensation means comprises an uncompressed thickness which is thicker than the thickness of said tissue.

10. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first thickness is greater than the second thickness, and wherein said first density is greater than said second density.

11. The staple cartridge assembly of claim 6 , wherein said antimicrobial generating agent comprises at least one of: LAE (Lauric arginate ethyl ester) and Octenidine.

12. 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

Assignees

• Ming Xintian
• Huitema Thomas W
• Rothenburger Stephen J
• Shelton Iv Frederick E
• Ethicon Endo Surgery Llc

Inventors

• Ming Xintian
• Huitema Thomas W
• Rothenburger Stephen J
• Shelton Iv Frederick E

Classifications

• A61B2017/2908

  Multiple segments connected by articulations · CPC title

• A61B2017/2919

  details of linkages or pivot points · CPC title

• A61B2017/0725

  with settable gap between anvil and cartridge, e.g. for different staple heights at different shots · CPC title

• A61B17/072

  for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously · CPC title

• A61B2017/00884

  enhancing wound closure · CPC title