SURGICAL END EFFECTOR HAVING BUTTRESS RETENTION FEATURES
A piece of buttress material and an end-effector of a surgical instrument including features which can aid a surgeon in properly and quickly attaching the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In various embodiments, a piece of buttress material can include retention features which can be engaged with portions of an end-effector to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to at least a portion of the end-effector. Similarly, an end-effector can include features configured to engage portions of a piece of buttress material to releasably retain the piece of buttress material to the end-effector. In at least one embodiment, more than one piece of buttress material can be releasably retained to an end-effector.
1 - 16 . (canceled)
17 . A staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body comprising a deck, wherein a plurality of staple cavities are defined in the cartridge body;
a plurality of staples removably positioned in the staple cavities; and
a compressible portion, comprising:
a deck-contacting surface; and
a plurality of protrusions protruding from the deck-contacting surface into the staple cavities, wherein at least one of the protrusions is friction-fit in one of the staple cavities.
18 . The staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a tissue thickness compensator.
19 . The staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a piece of buttress material.
20 . The staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a planar body, and wherein the protrusions protrude from the planar body.
21 . The staple cartridge of claim 17 , wherein each protrusion comprises an outer perimeter, wherein each staple cavity comprises an inner perimeter, and wherein the outer perimeter of each protrusion complements the inner perimeter of the staple cavity into which the protrusion extends.
22 . The staple cartridge of claim 21 , wherein at least one outer perimeter comprises a hexagonal outer perimeter, and wherein the corresponding inner perimeter comprises a hexagonal inner perimeter.
23 . The staple cartridge of claim 21 , wherein at least one outer perimeter comprises:
a proximal tip;
a distal tip; and
a pair of lateral sides extending between the proximal tip and the distal tip.
24 . An end effector, comprising:
a staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body comprising a plurality of staple cavities; and
a plurality of staples removably positioned in the staple cavities;
an anvil comprising a plurality of staple-forming pockets; and
a compressible portion, comprising:
an cartridge-contacting surface; and
a plurality of protrusions protruding from the cartridge-contacting surface into the staple cavities, wherein at least one of the protrusions is friction-fit in one of the staple cavities.
25 . The end effector of claim 24 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a tissue thickness compensator.
26 . The end effector of claim 24 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a piece of buttress material.
27 . The end effector of claim 24 , wherein each protrusion comprises an outer perimeter, wherein each staple cavity comprises an inner perimeter, and wherein the outer perimeter of each protrusion complements the inner perimeter of the staple cavity into which the protrusion extends.
28 . The end effector of claim 27 , wherein at least one outer perimeter comprises a hexagonal outer perimeter, and wherein the corresponding inner perimeter comprises a hexagonal inner perimeter.
29 . The end effector of claim 27 , wherein at least one outer perimeter comprises:
a proximal tip;
a distal tip; and
a pair of lateral sides extending between the proximal tip and the distal tip.
30 . An end effector, comprising:
a staple cartridge comprising a plurality of deployable staples;
an anvil comprising an anvil face, wherein a plurality of staple-forming pockets are defined into the anvil face; and
a compressible portion, comprising:
an anvil-contacting surface; and
a plurality of protrusions protruding from the anvil-contacting surface into the staple-forming pockets, wherein at least one of the protrusions is friction-fit in one of the staple-forming pockets.
31 . The end effector of claim 30 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a tissue thickness compensator.
32 . The end effector of claim 30 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a piece of buttress material.
33 . The end effector of claim 30 , wherein each protrusion comprises an outer perimeter, wherein each staple cavity comprises an inner perimeter, and wherein the outer perimeter of each protrusion complements the inner perimeter of the staple cavity into which the protrusion extends.
34 . A staple cartridge, comprising:
a cartridge body, comprising:
a deck;
a plurality of staple cavities defined in the cartridge body; and
a longitudinal slot defined at least partially through the cartridge body, wherein the longitudinal slot comprises a plurality of lateral recesses extending laterally from the longitudinal slot;
a plurality of staples removably positioned in the staple cavities; and
a compressible portion, comprising:
a deck-contacting surface; and
a plurality of protrusions protruding from the deck-contacting surface into the lateral recesses.
35 . The staple cartridge of claim 34 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a tissue thickness compensator.
36 . The staple cartridge of claim 34 , wherein the compressible portion comprises a piece of buttress material.