Ethicon, Gmbh

Cilag International Gmbh

Prudence A Vulhop

Jason L Harris

Frederick E Shelton, IV

Michael J Vendely

Charles J Scheib

Mark S Zeiner

Rao S Bezwada

Emily A Schellin

Trevor J Barton

Steven G Hall

Ashley D Easter

Jackie J Donners

Mark D Timmer

Victoria Dalessandro

Aidan Craigwood

Caroline Hagerman

Kathrin Holtzmann

David C Yates

Michael E Setser

Pamela M Ridgley

Carol J Wynn

Greg Scott

Gregory J Bakos

Taylor W Aronhalt

Gregory G Scott

John E Brady

Sarah Alexandra Worthington

Michael Cardinale

Kevin Shaun Weadock

Joshua P Morgan

Alexander R Cuti

Susanne Landgrebe

Nichole Y Kwee

Stephen D Geresy

Amy M Krumm

Scott A Jenkins

Andrew Kolpitcke

Yvan D Nguetio Tchoumkeu

Grace E Waters

Laura A Schoettmer

Marco Floris

A buttress is applied to an end effector of a surgical stapler. The buttress is loaded on a platform of a buttress applier cartridge. The end effector is closed upon the platform. An adhesive layer of the buttress secures the buttress to the end effector. The buttress is thus adhered to the end effector when the end effector is opened. The end effector is then actuated on tissue of a patient, thereby stapling the buttress to the tissue.

Method of applying a buttress to a surgical stapler end effector

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.

Method of applying a buttress to a surgical stapler

Methods for applying one or more adjuncts to tissue are provided. In one embodiment, the method can include positioning an adjunct, e.g., using an adhesive, on one of first and second jaws of an end effector of a surgical stapler. In one embodiment, an attachment mechanism on the adjunct can prevent stretching of at least a portion of the adjunct. In other aspects, the adjunct can be maintained on the at least one jaw in a first state in which the adjunct is at least partially stretched over the at least one jaw, and actuation of the surgical stapler can cause the adjunct to transition from the first state to a second state such that the adjunct in the second state at least partially separates from the at least one jaw.

Stapling adjunct attachment

Buttress assembly for a surgical stapler

Various buttress loaders are provided for cleaning and affixing one or more buttresses to an end effector of a surgical stapler. In an exemplary embodiment, a buttress loader can be configured to clean at least one tissue-engaging surface of an end effector on a surgical stapler, and the buttress loader can be configured to attach a buttress to the at least one tissue-engaging surface of the end effector. For example, a buttress loader can have two slots configured to receive the end effector therein. One slot can be configured to clean the end effector, and the other slot can be configured to attach the buttress to the end effector.

Buttress loader for surgical staplers

Various embodiments of a frame for attaching an adjunct to an end effector of a surgical device are provided. In one embodiment, the end effector can include upper and lower jaws, and the frame can include features for releasably engaging one or the jaws. The frame can also include retaining features for coupling an adjunct to a tissue-facing surface of the frame, thereby releasably coupling the adjunct material to the jaw of the end effector. In some implementations, the frame can include a plurality of retaining features that are configured to engage the adjunct material to create a tension in the adjunct material, which can further assist with securing the frame to the jaw. In other embodiments, a removable applicator member is provided for retaining at least one adjunct material and for aligning and coupling the adjunct material to a frame.

Surgical end effector adjunct attachment

An adjunct material for use with an end effector in a surgical instrument is provided that has at least one projection configured to mate with a corresponding recess formed in at least one jaw, such as a cartridge or anvil, of the end effector. The at least one projection can be one or more discrete projections or longitudinal projection(s) extending between distal and proximal ends of the adjunct material. An applicator member can be used to apply force to the adjunct material to thus cause the adjunct material to mate with the jaw of the end effector. The applicator member can be configured told the adjunct material and can be clamped between the jaws of the end effector to release the adjunct material onto the jaw. Also, an applicator member can be used to push portions of an adjunct material into corresponding recesses in a jaw.

End effector configured to mate with adjunct materials

Cartridge for linear surgical stapler

An adjunct loading system is provided that can include at least one adjunct material configured to be transferred from an adjunct loading member to first and second jaws of an end effector. The loading system can also include a supporting member configured to releasably retain the adjunct material. The loading system can further include an adhesive depot having an adhesive configured to transition from a non-flowable state to a flowable state upon application of heat when the adjunct material is released from the adjunct loading member and transferred to the jaw to retain the adjunct material on the jaw. The adjunct material is released from the adjunct loading member when load is applied thereto. The adhesive depot can be in the form of an adhesive feature formed on a polymer attachment layer or in the form of reservoirs in the supporting member.

Systems for coupling adjuncts to an end effector

Growing community of inventors

Ebanon, IN, United States of America

Prudence A Vulhop