Adjustable compression staple and method for stapling with adjustable compression

1. A compression-self-adjusting staple, comprising:

a substantially U-shaped staple that imparts a compressive force on material to which the staple is applied, and having:

a bridge;

legs; and:

an internally disposed compression device having a bias portion with:

a compression surface movably disposed between the legs; and

a compression resistor:

connected to the bridge and to the compression surface; and

being formed to resist movement of the compression surface towards the bridge with a pre-defined force that opposes the compressive force, wherein the compression resistor absorbs compressive forces that are greater than the pre-defined opposing force, thereby regulating an amount of compressive force being imparted on the material.

2. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the bridge is substantially rod-shaped with ends; and

each of the legs has a base end integral with a respective one of the ends.

3. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the bridge and the legs define a bridge-leg plane; and

the legs extend from the bridge at an angle of between 80 and 100 degrees in the bridge-leg plane.

4. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices.

5. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the compression resistor defines at least one orifice pair,

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices and one of the at least one orifice pair.

6. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the compression resistor defines a plurality of orifice pairs;

the compression surface defines two orifices; and

each of the legs extends through one of the two orifices and one of each of the orifice pairs.

7. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

the bridge and the legs define a compression axis; and

the compression surface is movably disposed between the legs along the compression axis.

8. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the compression device is connected to the bridge.

9. The staple according to claim 8 , wherein the compression resistor connects the bridge to the compression surface.

10. The staple according to claim 8 , wherein the bridge, the legs, the compression resistor, and the compression surface are integral.

11. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the compression resistor is at least partly disposed between the legs.

12. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the compression resistor is disposed between the bridge and the compression surface.

13. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined opposing force comprises a substantially constant force.

14. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the pre-defined opposing force comprises a linearly increasing force.

15. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the compression resistor has an anti-compressive spring constant such that the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant anti-compressive force imparted over a pre-defined compression range.

16. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein the staple and the compression device are of a biocompatible material.

17. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled;

the compression surface and the legs define a central compression region in which is to be disposed a material to be compressed between the compression surface and the stapling points when the distal ends of the legs are deformed; and

when the distal ends are deformed in a staple closing direction into the central compression region, the bias portion resists movement of the compression surface in the staple closing direction with the pre-defined opposing force, wherein the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant force.

18. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled; and

the compression surface and the bias portion are shaped to impart the pre-defined opposing force upon material disposed between the compression surface and the stapling points when the stapling points are deformed, wherein the pre-defined opposing force is a substantially constant bias force.

19. The staple according to claim 1 , wherein:

each of the legs comprises a deformable distal end defining a stapling point shaped to pierce material to be stapled;

when the stapling points are deformed toward one another, material disposed between the compression surface and the stapling points is compressed between the stapling points and the compression surface; and

the compression resistor maintains a substantially constant compressive force on the material within a pre-defined range independent of a degree of compression between the stapling points and the compression surface.