Buttress brachytherapy and integrated staple line markers for margin identification

Abstract

A surgical buttress for use in a surgical stapling apparatus is provided. The surgical buttress includes an elongate rectangular body portion defining a width; a nose portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the nose portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion; a neck portion integrally formed with and extending from a distal end of the body portion, the neck portion defining a width; a head portion integrally formed with and connected to a distal end of the neck portion, the head portion defining a width; and a tail portion integrally formed with and extending from a proximal end of the body portion, the tail portion defining a width that is less than the width of the body portion. The surgical buttress is formed from a material having filaments. The surgical buttress include radioactive material.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A surgical buttress for use in a surgical stapling apparatus, the surgical buttress, comprising:
 an elongate rectangular body portion defining a width and being fabricated from at least one of a biocompatible or bio absorbable material;   wherein the surgical buttress is formed with at least one marking provided at least one of in or on the body portion, the at least one marking having a pattern distributed along a length of the body portion.   
     
     
         25 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one marking is formed as a notch. 
     
     
         26 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one marking includes biocompatible and bioabsorbable materials. 
     
     
         27 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one marking includes a biocompatible ink. 
     
     
         28 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the at least one marking is sewn into the surgical buttress. 
     
     
         29 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the body portion defines at least one pair of notch markings on opposing lateral sides of the surgical buttress. 
     
     
         30 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the body portion includes a plurality of markings. 
     
     
         31 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of markings are formed by physical notches and ink. 
     
     
         32 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of markings vary in length. 
     
     
         33 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of markings are evenly spaced along a length of the surgical buttress. 
     
     
         34 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , further comprising a radioactive material embedded within the body portion. 
     
     
         35 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 34 , wherein the radioactive material is at least one brachytherapy seed. 
     
     
         36 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 24 , wherein the body portion comprises a plurality of pores. 
     
     
         37 . The surgical buttress according to  claim 36 , wherein at least one pore contains a brachytherapy seed.