BIOABSORBABLE STAPLE COMPRISING MECHANISMS FOR SLOWING THE ABSORPTION OF THE STAPLE
A surgical staple comprising a substrate and one or more coatings which slows the bioabsorption of the substrate. The coating can be selected so as to affect the environment surrounding the staple once the staple is implanted in the patient. The effect on the environment can cause the bioabsorption to occur within a desired time frame.
1 . A staple, comprising:
a substrate comprised of metal that degrades at a degradation rate when exposed to a degradation source in a patient, wherein the substrate comprises a first metal region and a second metal region, wherein the first metal region is uncoated; and
a coating on the second metal region that is partially-permeable when the staple is implanted in a patient, wherein the coating slows the degradation rate of the metal in the second metal region while partially-permeable, and wherein the permeability of the coating increases over time while implanted in the patient.
2 . The staple of claim 1 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises magnesium.
3 . The staple of claim 1 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises iron.
4 . The staple of claim 1 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises zinc.
5 . The staple of claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises at least one of PGA and PLLA.
6 . The staple of claim 1 , wherein the coating degrades once implanted in the patient, and wherein the coating is selected to affect the environment surrounding the staple and influence the degradation rate of the metal through the environment effect.
7 . A staple, comprising:
a substrate comprised of metal that degrades at a degradation rate when exposed to a degradation source in a patient, wherein the substrate comprises a first metal region and a second metal region;
a first coating on the first metal region that is partially-permeable when the staple is implanted in a patient, wherein the first coating slows the degradation of the first metal region to a first effective degradation rate while partially-permeable; and
a second coating on the second metal region that is partially-permeable when the staple is implanted in a patient, wherein the second coating slows the degradation of the second metal region to a second effective degradation rate while partially-permeable, and wherein the second effective degradation rate is different than the first effective degradation rate.
8 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the first coating degrades once implanted in the patient, and wherein the first coating is selected to affect the environment surrounding the staple and influence the second effective degradation rate through the environment effect.
9 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the first coating degrades once implanted in the patient, and wherein the first coating is selected to affect the environment surrounding the staple and influence the first effective degradation rate through the environment effect.
10 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the permeability of the first coating increases over time while implanted in the patient, and wherein the permeability of the second coating increases over time while implanted in the patient.
11 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises magnesium.
12 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises iron.
13 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises zinc.
14 . The staple of claim 7 , wherein the coating comprises at least one of PGA and PLLA.
15 . A staple, comprising:
a substrate comprised of metal that degrades at a degradation rate when exposed to a degradation source in a patient, wherein the substrate comprises a first metal region and a second metal region;
a first coating on the first metal region that is partially-permeable when the staple is implanted in a patient, wherein the first coating slows the degradation of the first metal region while partially-permeable; and
a second coating on the second metal region that is impermeable when the staple is implanted in a patient, wherein the second coating prevents the degradation of the second metal region while impermeable, and wherein the second coating becomes at least partially permeable over time while implanted in the patient.
16 . The staple of claim 15 , wherein the first coating degrades once implanted in the patient, and wherein the first coating is selected to affect the environment surrounding the staple and influence the degradation rate through the environment effect.
17 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the second coating degrades once implanted in the patient, and wherein the second coating is selected to affect the environment surrounding the staple and influence the degradation rate through the environment effect.
18 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the permeability of the first coating increases over time while implanted in the patient, and wherein the permeability of the second coating increases over time while implanted in the patient.
19 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises magnesium.
20 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises iron.
21 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the metal of the substrate comprises zinc.
22 . The staple of claim 16 , wherein the coating comprises at least one of PGA and PLLA.