Surgical Apparatus Including Surgical Buttress

Abstract

A surgical buttress includes a body portion and a band disposed on each of the distal and proximal ends thereof. The surgical buttress is configured to attach to an end effector of a surgical stapling apparatus. The body portion, having perforations disposed thereon, overlies the working surface of one of the first or second jaws of the end effector. A resilient portion extends transversely beyond the side edges of the first or second jaws. Each band remains attached to the end effector following the firing thereof. The proximal band is removably attachable to a hook feature disposed on one of the first or second jaws of the end effector. The surgical buttress can be made from suitable degradable or non-degradable materials. One embodiment contemplates a detachable and disposable single use loading unit. A method of attaching the surgical buttress to a surgical apparatus is also envisioned.

1 . A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   an end effector having first and second jaws;   a plurality of fasteners disposed in fastener slots of the first jaw, and fastener pockets being provided on the second jaw; and   at least one surgical buttress having a body portion and at least one band connected to a distal end thereof for connection to the end effector, the at least one band encircling a portion of the end effector;   the body portion of the at least one surgical buttress being configured and dimensioned to substantially overlie at least some of the fastener slots of the first jaw.   
   
   
       2 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one surgical buttress includes a resilient portion, the resilient portion extending transversely beyond at least one side edge of at least one of the first or second jaws of the end effector. 
   
   
       3 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the resilient portion is configured and dimensioned to remain attached to the end effector following the firing of the surgical stapling apparatus. 
   
   
       4 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the body portion of the at least one surgical buttress is made from degradable materials selected from the group comprising natural collagenous materials, cat gut, or synthetic resins including those derived from alkylene carbonates including trimethylene carbonate, tetramethylene carbonate;
 caprolactone, valerolactone, dioxanone, polyanhydrides, polyesters, polyacrylates, polymethylmethacrylates, polyurethanes, glycolic acid, lactic acid, glycolide, lactide, polyhydroxy butyrates, polyorthoester, polyhydroxy alkanoates, homopolymers thereof, and copolymers thereof.   
   
   
       5 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the body portion of the at least one surgical buttress is made from non-degradable materials selected from the group comprising polyolefins, including polyethylene, polydimethylsiloxane, polypropylene, copolymers of polyethylene and polypropylene, and blends of polyethylene and polypropylene; ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamides; polyesters including polyethylene terephthalate; polytetrafluoroethylene; polyether-esters including polybutester; polytetramethylene ether glycol; 1,4-butanediol; polyurethanes; and combinations thereof; silk; cotton, linen, and carbon fibers. 
   
   
       6 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one second band connected to a proximal end of the at least one surgical buttress for connection to a proximal end of the end effector. 
   
   
       7 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one second band is configured and dimensioned to remain attached to the end effector following the firing of the surgical stapling apparatus. 
   
   
       8 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 6 , further comprising a hook feature disposed on the proximal end of at least one of the first or second jaws of the end effector, wherein the at least one second band is configured and dimensioned to engage the hook feature. 
   
   
       9 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least the body portion of the at least one surgical buttress includes a plurality of perforations. 
   
   
       10 . A surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the perforations are disposed along the perimeter of the body portion of the surgical buttress. 
   
   
       11 . A surgical buttress for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the surgical buttress comprising:
 a body portion defining a length and a width, the body portion having distal and proximal ends, wherein the body portion is configured and dimensioned to substantially overlie a portion of at least one of the fastener slots of the first jaw of an end effector of the surgical stapling apparatus or the fastener pockets of the second jaw of the end effector of the surgical stapling apparatus; and   at least one band connected to the distal end of the body portion, wherein the at least one band is configured and dimensioned to encircle a portion of the end effector.   
   
   
       12 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 11 , further comprising a resilient portion, the resilient portion configured and dimensioned to extend transversely beyond at least one side edge of at least one of the first or second jaws of the end effector. 
   
   
       13 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 12 , wherein the resilient portion is configured and dimensioned to remain attached to the end effector following the firing of the surgical stapling apparatus. 
   
   
       14 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 11 , wherein at least the body portion is made from degradable materials selected from the group comprising natural collagenous materials, cat gut, or synthetic resins including those derived from alkylene carbonates including trimethylene carbonate, tetramethylene carbonate; caprolactone, valerolactone, dioxanone, polyanhydrides, polyesters, polyacrylates, polymethylmethacrylates, polyurethanes, glycolic acid, lactic acid, glycolide, lactide, polyhydroxy butyrates, polyorthoester, polyhydroxy alkanoates, homopolymers thereof, and copolymers thereof. 
   
   
       15 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 11 , wherein at least the body portion is made from non-degradable materials selected from the group comprising polyolefins, including polyethylene, polydimethylsiloxane, polypropylene, copolymers of polyethylene and polypropylene, and blends of polyethylene and polypropylene; ultra high molecular weight polyethylene, polyamides; polyesters including polyethylene terephthalate; polytetrafluoroethylene; polyether-esters including polybutester; polytetramethylene ether glycol; 1,4-butanediol; polyurethanes; and combinations thereof; silk; cotton, linen, and carbon fibers. 
   
   
       16 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the body portion includes a plurality of perforations. 
   
   
       17 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the perforations are disposed along the perimeter of the body portion. 
   
   
       18 . A surgical buttress according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one band is configured and dimensioned to remain attached to the end effector following the firing of the surgical stapling apparatus. 
   
   
       19 . A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:
 a housing;   an end effector having first and second jaws;   a plurality of fasteners disposed in fastener slots of the first jaw, and fastener pockets being provided on the second jaw; and   at least one surgical buttress having a body portion and at least one band connected to a distal end thereof for connection to the end effector, the at least one band encircling a portion of the end effector;   the body portion of the at least one surgical buttress being configured and dimensioned to substantially overlie at least some of the fastener pockets of the second jaw.   
   
   
       20 . A method of attaching a surgical buttress to a jaw of a surgical stapling apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
 providing a surgical buttress including:
 a body portion defining a length and a width, the body portion having distal and proximal ends, wherein the body portion is configured and dimensioned to substantially overlie a portion of at least one of the fastener slots of the first jaw of an end effector of the surgical stapling apparatus or the fastener pockets of the second jaw of the end effector of the surgical stapling apparatus; 
 at least one band connected to the distal end of the body portion, wherein the at least one band is configured and dimensioned to remain attached to the end effector following the firing of the surgical stapling apparatus; and 
 a resilient portion connected to the sides of the body portion; 
   affixing the at least one band to the distal end of at least one of the first or second jaws of the end effector;   extending the resilient portion transversely beyond at least one side edge of at least one of the first or second jaws; and   selectively affixing at least one second band to the proximal end of at least one of the first or second jaws of the end effector.