Structure for applying sprayable wound treatment material
View Patent ↗The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments, structures and methods for enhancing the properties of tissue to be repaired or joined. According to an aspect of the present disclosure, a surgical stapling apparatus is provided including a wound treatment material dispersion system for delivering wound treatment material to a target surgical site. The dispersion system includes an aperture formed in the anvil assembly oriented to dispense wound treatment material in an outward direction; and a source of wound treatment material in fluid communication with the aperture of the anvil assembly.
1. A guard for use in combination with an anastomotic surgical stapling apparatus, wherein the surgical stapling apparatus is configured and adapted to dispense staples from a staple pusher member of a body portion of the surgical stapling apparatus and to deliver wound treatment material from a stem of an anvil assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus to a target surgical site, wherein the guard comprises:
a central hub defining a lumen therethrough for receiving the stem of the anvil assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus;
an annular cuff supported by the central hub and extending at least substantially therearound, wherein the annular cuff is configured to be disposed radially outward of a staple line of the surgical stapling apparatus, and wherein the annular cuff defines an arcuate upper lip connected to an arcuate lower lip; and
an annular flange extending radially inwardly from a radially-outermost portion of the annular cuff, the annular flange being positioned for staples to be fired therethrough.
2. The guard according to claim 1 , further comprising at least one spoke interconnecting the annular cuff to the central hub.
3. The guard according to claim 2 , wherein at least one of the annular cuff and the at least one spoke is fabricated from a bio-absorbable material.
4. The guard according to claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower lips are dimensioned to contact an outer surface of the target surgical site.
5. The guard according to claim 1 , wherein the annular cuff is configured and dimensioned to retain the wound treatment material therein.
6. The guard according to claim 5 , wherein the annular cuff is solid along its entire length.
7. The guard according to claim 1 , wherein a radially-outermost portion of the upper lip is connected to a radially-outermost portion of the lower lip.
8. The guard according to claim 1 , wherein the annular cuff defines a C-shaped cross-sectional profile.
9. The guard according to claim 1 , wherein an entirety of a combination of the upper lip and the lower lip of the annular cuff defines a C-shaped cross-sectional profile.