Explore the 8,434 U.S. Patent Applications published on the 39th week of 2016, including 6,350 applications that subsequently received a Patent Grant.
Method of applying a buttress to a surgical stapler
A method of applying a buttress to a surgical stapler end effector comprises positioning a buttress assembly between an anvil and a staple cartridge of the end effector. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material faces either an underside of the anvil or a deck of the staple cartridge. The anvil is in an open position relative to the staple cartridge during the act of positioning the buttress assembly between the anvil and the staple cartridge. The method further comprises moving the anvil toward the staple cartridge then moving the anvil back to the open position. The buttress assembly is adhered to the underside of the anvil or the deck of the staple cartridge via the adhesive material with the anvil moved back to the open position. The adhesive material comprises a bioabsorbable polymer.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Surgical staple buttress with integral adhesive for releasably attaching to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector assembly comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body, an adhesive material, and a plurality of reinforcement strands. The reinforcement strands are configured to engage one or more staples fired through the buttress body.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Malleable bioabsorbable polymer adhesive for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material is configured to removably secure the buttress body to the deck of the staple cartridge or the underside of the anvil. The adhesive material comprises a malleable bioabsorbable polymer.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Surgical instruments with firing system overload protection mechanisms
A surgical instrument that includes an end effector and a trigger that is actuatable between a first position and a second position. An actuation drive is movable between an unactuated position and an actuated position in response to actuation of the trigger. A toggle assembly is transitionable between a folded configuration and an expanded configuration, wherein the toggle assembly is configured to motivate the actuation drive to effectuate a movement in the end effector in the folded configuration. The toggle assembly being configured to bypass the actuation drive when in the expanded configuration. A resetting member is operable to return the toggle assembly to the folded configuration.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Low inherent viscosity bioabsorbable polymer adhesive for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material comprises a polymer. The polymer is bioabsorbable. The polymer has an inherent viscosity at or below 3.0 dL/g.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Naturally derived bioabsorbable polymer gel adhesive for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material comprises a polymer. The polymer is bioabsorbable. The polymer comprises a gel.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Covidien LP.
Surgical stapling apparatus including an anvil and cartridge each having cooperating mating surfaces
Surgical stapling apparatus are disclosed including an anvil having a working surface with a shaped topography; and a staple cartridge, in juxtaposition with the anvil. The staple cartridge includes a working surface with shaped topography which is complementary to the shaped topography of the working surface of the shaped anvil. When the anvil and the staple cartridge are approximated with or toward one another, at least a portion of the working surface of the anvil cooperates with at least a portion of the working surface of the staple cartridge to enhance alignment of the staple cartridge and the anvil in at least one of a transverse and longitudinal direction.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Flowable bioabsorbable polymer adhesive for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector assembly comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material comprises a polymer. The polymer is bioabsorbable. The polymer is in a flowable state on the buttress body.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Low glass transition temperature bioabsorbable polymer adhesive for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The adhesive material comprises a polymer. The polymer is bioabsorbable. The polymer has glass transition temperature (Tg) at or below 0° C.
Published: 2016-09-29 Assignee: Ethicon LLC.
Biologically derived extracellular matrix with infused viscous absorbable copolymer for releasably attaching a staple buttress to a surgical stapler
A surgical stapler end effector comprises a staple cartridge, an anvil, and a buttress assembly. The staple cartridge comprises a plurality of staples and a deck. The staple cartridge is operable to drive the staples through the deck. The anvil is movable from an open position toward the staple cartridge to reach a closed position. The anvil includes an underside having staple forming surface configured to receive staples driven through the deck. The buttress assembly comprises a buttress body and an adhesive material. The buttress body defines a plurality of cells. The adhesive material comprises a polymer. The polymer is bioabsorbable. A first portion of the adhesive material is located within cells of the plurality of cells. A second portion of the adhesive material is located on the buttress body outside the plurality of cells.