Surgical fastener

Abstract

A surgical fastener having a backspan, a pair of legs depending from the backspan, and a contact pad on the backspan. At least one of the pair of legs is configured to contact the contact pad to provide an indication of formation thereof.

1 . A surgical fastener, comprising:
 a backspan defining an upper surface, a lower surface and a pair of side surfaces;   a pair of legs depending from the backspan; and   a contact pad on the backspan, wherein at least one of the pair of legs is configured to contact the contact pad to provide an indication of formation.   
   
   
       2 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one leg and the contact pad are fabricated from an electrically conductive material and at least a portion of the backspan is non-conductive. 
   
   
       3 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , further comprising a layer of non-conductive material interposed between the backspan and the contact pad to electrically isolate the contact pad from the backspan. 
   
   
       4 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of contact pads supported on the backspan, wherein each leg contacts a respective contact pad upon proper formation thereof. 
   
   
       5 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , further comprising a pair of contact pads supported on the backspan, wherein each leg contacts a respective contact pad upon improper formation thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The fastener according to  claim 4 , wherein each leg and each contact pad is fabricated from an electrically conductive material. 
   
   
       7 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact pad extends from the lower surface to the upper surface of the backspan along at least one side surface of the backspan. 
   
   
       8 . The fastener according to  claim 1 , wherein the contact pad extends through the backspan so as to be exposed at the upper surface and the lower surface of the backspan. 
   
   
       9 . The fastener according to  claim 4 , wherein the contact pads are electrically isolated from one another. 
   
   
       10 . A surgical fastener comprising:
 a backspan; and   first and second fastener legs extending from the backspan, the backspan having an electrical contact surface, wherein upon contact of at least one of the fastener legs with the electrical contact surface completes a circuit to provide an indication of staple formation.   
   
   
       11 . The fastener of  claim 10 , wherein completion of the circuit provides an indication of proper formation of the fastener. 
   
   
       12 . The fastener of  claim 10 , wherein completion of the circuit provides an indication of improper formation of the fastener. 
   
   
       13 . An electrosurgical system, comprising:
 a fastening device including a cartridge and an anvil, wherein the anvil is in juxtaposed relation relative to the cartridge, wherein the cartridge and the anvil have a spaced apart position and an approximated position, and wherein the cartridge is configured to retain a plurality of fasteners therein and wherein the anvil is configured to form the plurality of fasteners;   a plurality of surgical fasteners loaded in the cartridge, at least one of the fasteners includes a backspan, a pair of legs depending from the backspan, and at least one contact pad on the backspan, wherein at least one of the pair of legs is configured to contact the at least one contact pad upon a formation thereof; and   an indicating circuit associated with the fasteners, the indicating circuit including an electrical conduit in electrical contact with the at least one contact pad.   
   
   
       14 . The electrosurgical system of  claim 13 , wherein upon formation of the fasteners, the legs are configured to either contact a respective contact pad or not contact a respective contact pad to indicate whether the fasteners are properly formed. 
   
   
       15 . The electrosurgical system of  claim 14 , wherein when the respective legs of each fastener properly contact the at least one contact pad, a circuit loop of the indicating circuit is established, and when the respective legs of each fastener do not properly contact the at least one contact pad the circuit loop of the indicating circuit is not established. 
   
   
       16 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 13 , wherein the indicating circuit includes an energy source and an indicator, wherein the indicator activates upon one of a proper formation of the fasteners and an improper formation of the fasteners. 
   
   
       17 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 16 , wherein the indicator activates upon a proper formation of a predetermined number of proper formations of the fasteners. 
   
   
       18 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the backspan of each fastener is non-conductive. 
   
   
       19 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one contact pad of each fastener is electrically isolated from the backspan. 
   
   
       20 . The electrosurgical system according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one contact pads comprises a pair of contact pad electrically isolated from one another.