Layer arrangements for surgical staple cartridges

Abstract

A piece of buttress material and an end-effector of a surgical instrument including features which can aid a surgeon in properly and quickly attaching the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In various embodiments, a piece of buttress material can include retention features which can be engaged with portions of an end-effector to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to at least a portion of the end-effector. Similarly, an end-effector can include features configured to engage portions of a piece of buttress material to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In at least one embodiment, more than one piece of buttress material can be releasably retained to an end-effector.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A surgical instrument system, comprising:
 an end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is rotatable relative to said first jaw; 
 a staple cartridge, comprising:
 a deck comprising a first step and a second step; 
 a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said first step; 
 a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said second step; and 
 staples removably stored in said staple cavities; 
 
 an anvil, comprising:
 a tissue compression surface; and 
 forming pockets configured to deform said staples; 
 
   an applicator assembly, comprising:
 a support insertable between said deck and said tissue compression surface, wherein said support comprises a first support surface and a second support surface; 
 a first implantable layer releasably attached to said first support surface, wherein said first implantable layer comprises a first outwardly-facing surface configured to releasably engage said first step and said second step of said deck; 
 a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface; 
 a second implantable layer releasably attached to said second support surface, wherein said second implantable layer comprises a second outwardly-facing surface configured to releasably engage said tissue compression surface of said anvil; and 
 a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said second outwardly-facing surface. 
   
     
     
         18 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 17 , wherein said polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         19 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 18 , wherein said polyethylene glycol adhesive on said second outwardly-facing surface comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         20 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 17 , wherein said support is positionable between said deck and said tissue compression surface in an alternate orientation in which said first implantable layer is releasably attached to said anvil and said second implantable layer is releasably attached to said deck. 
     
     
         21 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 17 , further comprising an attachment portion configured to be attached to a shaft of a surgical stapling instrument. 
     
     
         22 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 17 , wherein said staple cartridge is configured to be removed from said end effector and replaced with another staple cartridge. 
     
     
         23 . A surgical instrument system, comprising:
 an end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is rotatable relative to said first jaw; 
 a staple cartridge, comprising:
 a deck comprising a first step and a second step; 
 a first longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said first step; 
 a second longitudinal row of staple cavities defined in said second step; and 
 staples removably stored in said staple cavities; 
 
 an anvil, comprising:
 a tissue compression surface; and 
 forming pockets configured to deform said staples; 
 
   an applicator assembly, comprising:
 a support insertable between said deck and said tissue compression surface, wherein said support comprises a first support surface and a second support surface; 
 a first implantable layer releasably attached to said first support surface, wherein said first implantable layer comprises a first outwardly-facing surface; 
 a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface; 
 a second implantable layer releasably attached to said second support surface, wherein said second implantable layer comprises a second outwardly-facing surface; and 
   wherein said applicator assembly is selectively positionable between said deck and said tissue compression surface in a first orientation in which said first layer is attached to said first and second steps of said deck and said second layer is releasably attached to said tissue compression surface and a second orientation in which said first layer is attached to said tissue compression surface and said second layer is attached to said first and second steps of said deck.   
     
     
         24 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 23 , wherein said polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         25 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 24 , further comprising a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said second outwardly-facing surface which comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 23 , further comprising an attachment portion configured to be attached to a shaft of a surgical stapling instrument. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 23 , wherein said staple cartridge is configured to be removed from said end effector and replaced with another staple cartridge. 
     
     
         28 . A surgical instrument system, comprising:
 an end effector, comprising:
 a first jaw; 
 a second jaw, wherein said second jaw is rotatable relative to said first jaw; 
 a staple cartridge, comprising:
 a deck; 
 staple cavities; and 
 staples removably stored in said staple cavities; 
 
 an anvil, comprising:
 a tissue compression surface comprising a first step and a second step; 
 a first longitudinal row of forming pockets defined in said first step; and 
 a second longitudinal row of forming pockets defined in said second step; 
 
   an applicator assembly, comprising:
 a support insertable between said deck and said tissue compression surface, wherein said support comprises a first support surface and a second support surface; 
 a first implantable layer releasably attached to said first support surface, wherein said first implantable layer comprises a first outwardly-facing surface; 
 a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface; 
 a second implantable layer releasably attached to said second support surface, wherein said second implantable layer comprises a second outwardly-facing surface; and 
   wherein said applicator assembly is selectively positionable between said deck and said tissue compression surface in a first orientation in which said first layer is attached to said deck and said second layer is releasably attached to said first and second step of said tissue compression surface and a second orientation in which said first layer is attached to said first and second step of said tissue compression surface and said second layer is attached to said deck.   
     
     
         29 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 28 , wherein said polyethylene glycol adhesive on said first outwardly-facing surface comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         30 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 29 , further comprising a polyethylene glycol adhesive on said second outwardly-facing surface which comprises a blend of a viscous polyethylene glycol liquid and a low melting solid polyethylene glycol. 
     
     
         31 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 28 , further comprising an attachment portion configured to be attached to a shaft of a surgical stapling instrument. 
     
     
         32 . The surgical instrument system of  claim 28 , wherein said staple cartridge is configured to be removed from said end effector and replaced with another staple cartridge.