Extensible buttress assembly for surgical stapler

1. A stretchable buttress assembly for reinforcing the mechanical fastening of tissue by surgical staples that are deployable from a surgical stapler, the buttress assembly comprising:

(a) a planar fabric layer having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the planar fabric layer is configured to stretch along a stretch axis, wherein the planar fabric layer comprises:

(i) a plurality of extensible fibers arranged in a repeatable pattern, wherein the extensible fibers are oriented along respective paths that are each parallel to the stretch axis, and

(ii) a plurality of non-extensible fibers arranged in a repeatable pattern and engaged with the extensible fibers; and

(b) a biocompatible adhesive layer, wherein the adhesive layer is applied to the first side of the planar fabric and is configured to removably adhere the planar fabric layer to an end effector of a surgical stapler.

2. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of non-extensible fibers are oriented transversely to the stretch axis.

3. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 1 , wherein the extensible fibers are selected from the group consisting of: monocomponent fibers; multicomponent fibers; bicomponent fibers; biconstituent fibers; and combinations thereof.

4. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 3 , wherein the extensible fibers comprise polymers selected from the group consisting of: poly(caprolactone)-co-poly(glycolide) (PCL/PGA); poly(caprolactone)-co-poly(lactide) (PCL/PLA); poly(lactide)-co-trimethylene carbonate (PCL/TMC); poly(p-dioxanone) (PDS); polyglactin 910; and combinations thereof.

5. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-extensible fibers are selected from the group consisting of: monocomponent fibers; multicomponent fibers; bicomponent fibers; biconstituent fibers; and combinations thereof.

6. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 5 , wherein the non-extensible fibers comprise polymers selected from the group consisting of: poly(caprolactone)-co-poly(glycolide) (PCL/PGA); poly(caprolactone)-co-poly(lactide) (PCL/PLA); poly(lactide)-co-trimethylene carbonate (PCL/TMC); poly(p-dioxanone) (PDS); polyglactin 910; polyglycolide (PGA); polyglycolic acid:trimethylcarbonate (PGA:TMC); and combinations thereof.

7. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-extensible fibers and extensible fibers are woven together in a pattern selected from the group consisting of: twill weave; plain weave; satin weave; and combinations thereof.

8. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 1 , wherein the non-extensible fibers and extensible fibers are knitted together in a Raschel weft-insertion pattern.

9. The stretchable buttress assembly of claim 8 , wherein the extensible fibers are bicomponent fibers comprising non-elastic fibers wrapped around elastic fibers.