Adjunct materials and methods of using same in surgical methods for tissue sealing

Abstract

Surgical methods involving cutting and sealing tissue include affixing a first adjunct material to tissue at a treatment site, such as by stapling the adjunct to tissue. A second adjunct material is applied to at least a portion of the first adjunct material such that the second adjunct material interacts with the first adjunct material to form a seal in an area of the tissue covered by at least one of the first and the second adjunct material. The resulting tissue sealing structure, which includes a combination of the two adjuncts, is believed to be superior to the sealing properties of either adjunct alone.

1 .- 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapler, comprising:
 a cartridge body having a plurality of staples partially disposed therein, the plurality of staples being configured to be deployed into tissue; and   an adjunct assembly configured to be releasably retained on the cartridge body and being compressible with regional variations in compressibility, the adjunct comprising,
 a first woven layer extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, and 
 a second woven layer positioned atop at least a portion of the top surface of the first woven layer. 
   
     
     
         21 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein, prior to deployment, one or more staples of the plurality of staples are configured to partially extend outward from the cartridge body and into at least a portion of the adjunct assembly. 
     
     
         22 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the first woven layer is formed of first fibers and the second woven layer is formed of second fibers. 
     
     
         23 . The staple cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the first fibers is coated with at least one of a drug, an antibacterial agent, or an antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         24 . The staple cartridge of  claim 22 , wherein at least one of the second fibers is coated with at least one of a drug, an antibacterial agent, or an antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         25 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the first woven layer is formed of at least first and second woven portions, and wherein the first woven portion includes first fibers and the second woven portion includes second fibers that are different than the first fibers. 
     
     
         26 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the first woven layer is formed of at least first and second woven portions, wherein the first woven portion has a first weave density and the second woven portion has a second weave density that is different than the first weave density. 
     
     
         27 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the second woven layer is formed of at least first and second woven portions, and wherein the first woven portion includes first fibers and the second woven portion includes second fibers that are different than the first fibers. 
     
     
         28 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the second woven layer is formed of at least first and second woven portions, wherein the first woven portion has a first weave density and the second woven portion has a second weave density that is different than the first weave density. 
     
     
         29 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the second woven layer is formed of at least first fibers and second fibers, wherein each first fiber has a fiber diameter that is less than a fiber diameter of each of the second fibers. 
     
     
         30 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the second woven layer is formed of at least first fibers and second fibers, wherein the first fibers made of a first bioabsorbable polymer and second fibers made of a second bioabsorbable polymer that is different than the first bioabsorbable polymer. 
     
     
         31 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the second woven layer is formed of at least first fibers and second fibers, wherein the first fibers are multifilament fibers and the second fibers are monofilament fibers. 
     
     
         32 . The staple cartridge of  claim 20 , wherein the adjunct assembly is configured to apply a pressure of at least 3 gf/mm 2  to tissue for at least 3 days when the adjunct assembly is stapled thereto.