PACKAGING ASSEMBLIES FOR SURGICAL STAPLE CARTRIDGES CONTAINING BIOABSORBABLE STAPLES

1 . A packaging assembly for a surgical staple cartridge configured to be operably installed in a surgical stapling instrument, wherein the surgical staple cartridge comprises a base, a deck, a longitudinal slot defined in the deck, staple cavities defined in the deck, and staples removably stored in the staple cavities, and wherein said packaging assembly comprises:

a hermetically-sealable container configured to store the surgical staple cartridge therein and permit the surgical staple cartridge to be removed therefrom;

a staple retainer configured to be received on the deck of the surgical staple cartridge and sized to cover the staple cavities in the cartridge body when said staple retainer is removably coupled to the base; and

a desiccant element configured to be removably positioned between the staple retainer and the deck of the surgical staple cartridge and sized to cover all of the staple cavities therein.

2 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein said desiccant element is configured to protrude into each staple cavity in the deck when said desiccant element is positioned on the deck between the staple retainer and the deck.

3 . The packaging assembly of claim 2 , wherein said desiccant element comprises:

an elongate body portion;

a plurality of retention protrusions protruding from said elongate body portion, wherein each said retention protrusion corresponds to one of the staple cavities and is sized to protrude therein.

4 . The packaging assembly of claim 3 , wherein each said retention protrusion is configured to retainingly engage at least one staple stored in the corresponding staple cavity.

5 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein said staple retainer defines a deck-facing surface configured to confront the deck when said staple retainer is removably coupled to the base, and wherein said desiccant element is attached to said deck-facing surface.

6 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein said desiccant element is configured to change color in the presence of moisture.

7 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge body comprises a first cartridge body side and a second cartridge body side, wherein the first cartridge body side and second cartridge body side depend from the deck, wherein the cartridge body further comprises a bottom surface extending between the first cartridge body side and the second cartridge body side, and wherein said desiccant element comprises:

a desiccant element top portion configured to be received on the deck and cover all of the staple cavities therein;

a first desiccant element side, wherein the first desiccant element side depends from said desiccant element top portion and corresponds to the first cartridge body side; and

a second desiccant element side, wherein said second desiccant element side depends from said desiccant top portion and corresponds to the second cartridge body side.

8 . The packaging assembly of claim 7 , wherein said desiccant element further comprises a desiccant element bottom portion attached to said first desiccant element side and said second desiccant element side and extends therebetween, and wherein said desiccant element bottom is adjacent at least a portion of the bottom surface of the cartridge body when said desiccant element is positioned between said staple retainer and the deck.

9 . The packaging assembly of claim 7 , wherein said desiccant element is configured to change color in the presence of moisture.

10 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein the staples comprise bio-absorbable staples comprised of an alloy configured to accelerate corrosion of the bio-absorbable staples.

11 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , wherein said hermetically-sealable container is filled with a gas selected from the group of gases consisting of Nitrogen and Argon.

12 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a moisture sensor in said hermetically-sealable container configured to assess a moisture level within said hermetically-sealable container and provide an indication thereof.

13 . The packaging assembly of claim 12 , wherein said moisture sensor is configured to provide said indication of said moisture level within said hermetically-sealable container only when said moisture level exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

14 . The packaging assembly of claim 13 , further comprising an RFID chip on the base, wherein said moisture sensor communicates moisture level information concerning said moisture level within said hermetically-sealable container to said RFID chip, wherein a controller of the surgical stapling instrument comprises an RFID scanner configured to receive said moisture level information from said RFID chip, wherein the controller compares said moisture level information transmitted by said RFID chip to a set of compatible information, and wherein the controller prevents the surgical stapling instrument from performing at least one function if said moisture level information is not found in the set of compatible information.

15 . The packaging assembly of claim 13 , further comprising a light emitting diode in said hermetically-sealable container, wherein said light emitting diode communicates with said moisture sensor, and wherein said light emitting diode is illuminated when said moisture level exceeds said predetermined magnitude.

16 . The packaging assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a temperature sensor in said hermetically-sealable container configured to assess a temperature level within said hermetically-sealable container and provide an indication thereof.

17 . The packaging assembly of claim 16 , wherein said temperature sensor is configured to provide said indication of said temperature level within said hermetically-sealable container only when said temperature level exceeds a predetermined magnitude.

18 . The packaging assembly of claim 16 , further comprising an RFID chip on the base, wherein said temperature sensor communicates temperature level information concerning said temperature level within said hermetically-sealable container to said RFID chip, wherein a controller of the surgical stapling instrument comprises an RFID scanner configured to receive said temperature level information from said RFID chip, wherein the controller compares said temperature level information transmitted by said RFID chip to a set of compatible information, and wherein the controller prevents the surgical stapling instrument from performing at least one function if said temperature level information is not found in the set of compatible information.

19 . The packaging assembly of claim 17 , further comprising a light emitting diode in said hermetically-sealable container, wherein said light emitting diode communicates with said temperature sensor, and wherein said light emitting diode is illuminated when said temperature level exceeds said predetermined magnitude.

20 . A packaging assembly for a surgical staple cartridge configured to be operably installed in a surgical stapling instrument, wherein the surgical staple cartridge comprises a base, a deck, a longitudinal slot defined in the deck, staple cavities defined in the deck, and staples removably stored in the staple cavities, and wherein said packaging assembly comprises:

a hermetically-sealable container configured to store the surgical staple cartridge therein and permit the surgical staple cartridge to be removed therefrom; and

a desiccant element configured to be removably attached to the deck of the surgical staple cartridge and sized to cover the staple cavities in the cartridge body.

21 . A packaging system for a surgical staple cartridge configured to be operably installed in a surgical stapling instrument, wherein the surgical stapling instrument comprises a cartridge-receiving channel and an anvil, wherein the anvil defines a staple-forming undersurface surface, wherein the surgical staple cartridge comprises a base, a deck, a longitudinal slot defined in the deck, staple cavities defined in the deck, and staples removably stored in the staple cavities, and wherein said packaging system comprises:

a hermetically-sealable container configured to non-movably store the surgical staple cartridge therein and permit the surgical staple cartridge to be removed therefrom; and

a staple retainer removably attached to the cartridge body and sized to cover all of the staple cavities in the base, wherein said staple retainer comprises a pretreatment material configured to be transferred from said staple retainer to the staple-forming undersurface of the anvil after the surgical staple cartridge has been seated in the cartridge-receiving channel of the surgical stapling instrument and the anvil is moved to a closed position.

22 . The packaging system of claim 21 , further comprising a pretreatment element coupled to said staple retainer, wherein said pretreatment element contains said pretreatment material therein.

23 . The packaging system of claim 21 , further comprising a desiccant element configured to be removably positioned between the staple retainer and the deck of the surgical staple cartridge and sized to cover all of the staple cavities in the cartridge body of the surgical staple cartridge.

24 . The packaging assembly of claim 21 , wherein the staples comprise bio-absorbable staples comprised of an alloy configured to accelerate corrosion of the staples.

25 . The packaging assembly of claim 21 , wherein said pretreatment material is selected from a group of pretreatment materials consisting of sodium sterates, silicones, absorbable polymers, and hydrogels.

26 . A surgical staple cartridge configured to be operably installed in a surgical stapling instrument, wherein the surgical staple cartridge comprises:

a cartridge body;

a deck surface defined on said cartridge body;

staple cavities defined in the cartridge body and opening through the deck surface, wherein each said staple cavity comprises cavity walls; and

a bio-absorbable staple received in each said staple cavity, wherein each bio-absorbable staple comprises a coating material, wherein portions of said coating material in contact with the cavity walls are melted thereon to form a temporary connection therewith.

27 . The surgical staple cartridge of claim 26 , wherein each said bio-absorbable staple is stored on a movable staple driver slidably supported within said staple cavity, and wherein other portions of said coating material in contact with said movable staple driver are melted thereon to form another temporary connection therewith.