Surgical stapling apparatus including releasable surgical buttress

Abstract

A staple cartridge for use with a surgical stapling apparatus includes a cartridge body including a tissue contacting surface defining a plurality of staple retaining slots, a staple disposed within each staple retaining slot of the cartridge body, and a substantially circular buttress. The buttress includes an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion extending between the inner portion and the outer portion. At least one stiffened region joins the buttress to the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge body. The inner portion, the middle portion, the outer portion, and the at least one stiffened region are all formed from a common material.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A surgical stapling apparatus, comprising:
 a tubular body having a distal end portion;   a staple cartridge coupled to the distal end portion of the tubular body, the staple cartridge including a tissue contacting surface; and   a surgical buttress including a buttress body having a first rigidity and at least one stiffened region defined in the buttress body having a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, the buttress body including an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion disposed between the inner and outer portions, the at least one stiffened region disposed in the inner or outer portion of the buttress body, the at least one stiffened region attached to the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge to releasably secure the surgical buttress to the staple cartridge.   
     
     
         3 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge defines staple retaining slots therein, and the inner portion of the buttress body is disposed radially inward of the staple retaining slots, the outer portion of the buttress body is disposed radially outward of the staple retaining slots, and the middle portion of the buttress body extends over the staple retaining slots. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one stiffened region extends continuously around the inner or outer portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one stiffened region includes a plurality of stiffened regions extending around the inner or outer portion of the buttress body in spaced relation relative to each other. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one stiffened region includes a first stiffened region disposed in the inner portion of the buttress body and a second stiffened region disposed in the outer portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations disposed in a circumferential line extending through the at least one stiffened region. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations disposed in a circumferential line between the at least one stiffened region and the middle portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations around each stiffened region of the plurality of stiffened regions. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical stapling apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations separating the first and second stiffened regions from the middle portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         11 . A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapling apparatus, the staple cartridge assembly comprising:
 a staple cartridge including a tissue contacting surface; and   a surgical buttress including a buttress body having a first rigidity and at least one stiffened region defined in the buttress body having a second rigidity greater than the first rigidity, the buttress body including an inner portion, an outer portion, and a middle portion disposed between the inner and outer portions, the at least one stiffened region disposed in the inner or outer portion of the buttress body, the at least one stiffened region attached to the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge to releasably secure the surgical buttress to the staple cartridge.   
     
     
         12 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the tissue contacting surface of the staple cartridge defines staple retaining slots therein, and the inner portion of the buttress body is disposed radially inward of the staple retaining slots, the outer portion of the buttress body is disposed radially outward of the staple retaining slots, and the middle portion of the buttress body extends over the staple retaining slots. 
     
     
         13 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one stiffened region extends continuously around the inner or outer portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         14 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one stiffened region includes a plurality of stiffened regions extending around the inner or outer portion of the buttress body in spaced relation relative to each other. 
     
     
         15 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the at least one stiffened region includes a first stiffened region disposed in the inner portion of the buttress body and a second stiffened region disposed in the outer portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         16 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations disposed in a circumferential line extending through the at least one stiffened region. 
     
     
         17 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 12 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations disposed in a circumferential line between the at least one stiffened region and the middle portion of the buttress body. 
     
     
         18 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations around each stiffened region of the plurality of stiffened regions. 
     
     
         19 . The staple cartridge assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the surgical buttress includes perforations separating the first and second stiffened regions from the middle portion of the buttress body.