Gore Enterprise Holdings, Inc.

W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc.

Jerald M Crawley

John Richard Daugherty

Ann M Bauman

Stuart E Broyles

Norman Pih

Charles F White

William D Montgomery

John M Herman

Stanislaw L Zukowski

Craig D Lack

John C Hostler

Steven C Newman

Michael A Schmieder

John R Daugherty

A buttress for use with circular surgical staplers that does not require adhesive to securely fasten the buttress to the stapler. Following cutting and stapling by the circular stapler, the buttress has an adaptive opening through its central region with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the stapler anvil. Because of relief features built into the buttress, the stapler anvil may be pulled through the buttress material without causing permanent alteration to the buttress. These relief features may be provided regardless of whether the buttress is made of inelastic or elastic materials. The buttress is generally circular in shape with an outer diameter sized to coincide with the outer diameter of the stapler body staple compression surface and the outer diameter of the anvil compression surface of a circular stapler with which it is used. Prior to surgical use, the buttress is attached to the stapler with disruptable portions extending from outer perimetal areas of the buttress.

Circular stapler buttress

An inguinal hernia repair device in the form of an implantable plug that is affixed at one end to the center region of a sheet of implantable material. The plug takes the form of a plurality of hollow members, arranged so as to be in substantially parallel relationship when implanted into a defect. The hollow members are preferably tubular members and are preferably bundled together by various means, such as bonding or wrapping a band or strand about the plurality of hollow members to maintain them in adjacent and contacting relationship during insertion into a defect. The device is provided with a base member for anchorage made of a composite material having a non-bioabsorable component and a bioabsorbable component.

Soft tissue defect repair device

An inguinal hernia repair device in the form of an implantable plug that is affixed at one end to the center region of a sheet of implantable material. The plug takes the form of a plurality of hollow members, arranged so as to be in substantially parallel relationship when implanted into a defect. The hollow members are preferably tubular members and are preferably bundled together by various means, such as bonding or wrapping a band or strand about the plurality of hollow members to maintain them in adjacent and contacting relationship during insertion into a defect.

A three dimensional facial space-filling implant adapted for filling space subcutaneously, said space being located primarily at the interface of a soft tissue surface and a bone surface. The article has a length, width and thickness wherein the thickness is oriented substantially orthogonal to first and second substantially opposing surfaces of the article. The thickness varies according to location along the length and width. The first surface is adapted to be substantially in contact with the soft tissue surface when implanted. This first surface is substantially porous having void spaces of size adequate to allow tissue ingrowth into at least a portion of the void spaces. The second surface is adapted to be substantially in contact with the bone surface when implanted and is substantially non-porous to substantially prevent ingrowth of bony tissue into the second surface. The first surface is preferably porous polytetrafluoroethylene and the thickness and second surface are preferably silicone.

Facial implant having one porous surface

A non-slip, waterproof, water vapor permeable fabric and method of making are described. The fabric is made by obtaining a waterproof, water vapor permeable film and adhering one side of the film to a layer of fabric which may be a stretch fabric. The other side of the film is provided with a discontinuous coating of an elastomer which has an elastic modulus of less than 5.5N/mm.sup.2. The discontinuous coating may take various forms including a pattern of dots or a grid of intersecting lines. The discontinuous coating may optionally project above the surface of the film. The presence of the discontinuous coating of elastomer results in a fabric with a static coefficient of friction of greater than about 1.0 on the discontinuously coated side of the fabric. The film is preferably a porous expanded polytetrafluoroethylene film provided with a hydrophilic coating on one surface; the hydrophilic coating may serve as an adhesive for joining the one surface of the film to the layer of fabric. The inventive fabric is useful for various applications such as articles of medical protective clothing including surgical drapes and liners for orthotic braces, which applications may benefit from the non-slip character of the fabric.

Non-slip, waterproof, water vapor permeable fabric

A cellular rubber body protection material having an inner layer of porous expanded PTFE. It is useful as, for example, a wet suit or orthopedic brace, offering improved wearing comfort and reducing allergenic reactions in comparison to conventional cellular rubber body protection materials.

Laminated, air impermeable cellular rubber, body protection material

A multi-conductor flat ribbon cable for transmission of data signals having firmly-held accurately spaced apart drain wires wrapped with spaced-apart coils of polymer fibers.

Growing community of inventors

Flagstaff, AZ, United States of America

Jerald M Crawley