Surgical buttress assemblies

Abstract

A surgical buttress assembly for a surgical stapling apparatus includes a buttress and a release strap. The buttress includes a buttress body portion supporting a toe strap that extends distally from the buttress body portion. The release strap is releasably coupled to the toe strap of the buttress. The release strap is movable relative to the buttress to separate the release strap from the buttress.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surgical buttress assembly for a surgical stapling apparatus, the surgical buttress assembly comprising:
 a buttress comprising a buttress body portion supporting a toe strap that extends distally from the buttress body portion; and   a release strap that is releasably coupled to the toe strap of the buttress, the release strap being movable relative to the buttress to separate the release strap from the buttress.   
     
     
         2 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the release strap includes detents configured to couple to the buttress to secure the release strap to the buttress. 
     
     
         3 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the buttress defines detent slots that are configured to receive the detents of the release strap. 
     
     
         4 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the buttress body includes a first side flap on a first side of the buttress body portion and a second side flap on a second side of the buttress body portion, the first and second flaps configured to fold over an anvil assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus to support the buttress body on the anvil assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 4 , wherein the first and second side flaps define the detents slots, the detent slots positioned in longitudinally spaced-apart locations along the first and second side flaps. 
     
     
         6 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the release strap includes a finger assembly that extends distally from the release strap, the finger assembly configured to couple to the toe strap. 
     
     
         7 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 6 , wherein the finger assembly includes a first digit and a second digit, the first digit receivable within one of the detent slots of the buttress, the second digit configured to be secured to the toe strap. 
     
     
         8 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second side flaps include distal tabs that define retention slots and the toe strap defines retention slots that are positioned to align with the retention slots of the distal tabs when the distal tabs and the toe strap are folded together over the anvil assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the second digit of the finger assembly is looped through the retentions slots of the distal tabs and the toe strap to secure the release strap to the buttress. 
     
     
         10 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the second digit includes a distal tongue having a gradually thickened width. 
     
     
         11 . The surgical buttress assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the toe strap of the buttress includes a plurality of wings. 
     
     
         12 . An end effector for a surgical stapling apparatus, the end effector comprising:
 a cartridge assembly; and   an anvil movably coupled to the cartridge assembly and supporting a surgical buttress assembly, the surgical buttress assembly including:
 a buttress comprising a buttress body portion supporting a toe strap that extends distally from the buttress body portion; and 
 a release strap that is releasably coupled to the toe strap of the buttress, the release strap being movable relative to the buttress to separate the release strap from the buttress. 
   
     
     
         13 . The end effector of  claim 12 , wherein the release strap includes detents configured to couple to the buttress to secure the release strap to the buttress. 
     
     
         14 . The end effector of  claim 13 , wherein the buttress defines detent slots that are configured to receive the detents of the release strap. 
     
     
         15 . The end effector of  claim 14 , wherein the buttress body includes a first side flap on a first side of the buttress body portion and a second side flap on a second side of the buttress body portion, the first and second flaps configured to fold over an anvil assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus to support the buttress body on the anvil assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second side flaps define the detents slots, the detent slots positioned in longitudinally spaced-apart locations along the first and second side flaps. 
     
     
         17 . The end effector of  claim 14 , wherein the release strap includes a finger assembly that extends distally from the release strap, the finger assembly configured to couple to the toe strap. 
     
     
         18 . The end effector of  claim 15 , wherein the finger assembly includes a first digit and a second digit, the first digit receivable within one of the detent slots of the buttress, the second digit configured to be secured to the toe strap. 
     
     
         19 . The end effector of  claim 16 , wherein the first and second side flaps includes distal tabs that define retention slots and the toe strap defines retention slots that are positioned to align with the retention slots of the distal tabs when the distal tabs and the toe strap are folded together over the anvil assembly. 
     
     
         20 . The end effector of  claim 19 , wherein the second digit of the finger assembly is looped through the retentions slots of the distal tabs and the toe strap to secure the release strap to the buttress.