Endocutter with auto-feed buttress

Abstract

Surgical apparatus may include a staple holder and a buttress positioned on the upper surface of the staple holder, where the staple holder is configured to fire multiple sets of staples, and where the buttress is advanceable between firings such that the staple holder is configured to deploy multiple sets of staples through the buttress. A surgical method of treating tissue within the body of a patient may include providing an endocutter having a staple holder and having a plurality of staples, where a plurality of but less than all of the staples are arranged in a firing position within the staple holder; engaging tissue of the patient with the staple holder; deploying the plurality of staples in firing position through a buttress and into tissue of the patient; disengaging the end effector from tissue of the patient; moving a plurality of staples into firing position; engaging tissue of the patient with the staple holder; advancing a segment of buttress relative to the staple holder; and repeating the deploying.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical method for treating tissue at a surgical site of a patient, comprising:
 placing an end-effector of an endocutter into the surgical site of the patient, the end-effector includes a staple holder, a buttress over the staple holder, and a plurality of staples in the staple holder;   finding a target tissue to be treated;   engaging the target tissue by the end-effector;   deploying the plurality of staples into said target tissue through said buttress, wherein the buttress provides support to said target tissue as said plurality of staples are deployed into said target tissue; and   separating said buttress from said staple holder after deployment of said plurality of staples.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the separated buttress remains with the stapled target tissue. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said buttress includes openings to allow deployment of said plurality of staples through said buttress. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 disengaging said end-effector from said target tissue after deploying said plurality of staples;   finding a next target tissue to be treated;   advancing a next portion of the buttress over the staple holder;   advancing a next plurality of staples into a firing position within the staple holder;   engaging said next target tissue by said end-effector; and   deploying said next plurality of staples into said next target tissue through said next portion of the buttress for continuous firing or deploying of staples for treatment of the next target tissue.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the next portion of the buttress provides support to said next target tissue as said next plurality of staples are deployed into said next target tissue. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein repeated deploying of staples from said staple holder selectively being done without removing said end-effector from said surgical site. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cutting said buttress while deploying said plurality of staples. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising cutting said buttress and said target tissue while deploying said plurality of staples. 
     
     
         9 . A surgical method for treating tissue at a surgical site of a patient, comprising:
 placing an end-effector of an endocutter into the surgical site of the patient, the end-effector includes a staple holder, a buttress over a surface of said staple holder, and a plurality of staples in said staple holder;   finding a target tissue to be treated;   engaging the target tissue to be treated by said end-effector; and   deploying the plurality of staples into said target tissue through said buttress, wherein the buttress provides support to said target tissue as said plurality of staples are deployed into said target tissue.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 separating said buttress from said surface of said staple holder after deployment of said plurality of staples.   
     
     
         11 . A surgical method for treating tissue at a surgical site of a patient, comprising:
 placing an end-effector of an endocutter into the surgical site of the patient, the end-effector includes a staple holder, a movable strip of buttress over a surface of the staple holder, and a plurality of staples in the staple holder;   finding a target tissue to be treated;   engaging the target tissue by said end-effector; and   deploying the plurality of staples into said target tissue through a portion of said movable strip of buttress, wherein the portion of said movable strip of buttress provides support to said target tissue as said plurality of staples are deployed into said target tissue.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 separating said portion of said movable strip of buttress from said surface of said staple holder after deployment of said plurality of staples.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 disengaging said end-effector from said target tissue after deploying said plurality of staples;   finding a next target tissue to be treated;   advancing a next portion of the movable buttress over the staple holder;   advancing a next plurality of staples into a firing position within the staple holder;   engaging said next target tissue by said end-effector; and   deploying said next plurality of staples into said next target tissue through said next portion of the movable buttress for continuous firing or deploying of staples for treatment of the next target tissue.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 separating said next portion of said movable strip of buttress from said surface of said staple holder after deployment of said next plurality of staples.