Patent ID: 9314247
Filing Date: 2016-04-19
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A staple cartridge assembly for use with a surgical stapler, wherein said staple cartridge assembly is adapted to be used with tissue having a thickness, said staple cartridge assembly comprising: a cartridge body comprising a support portion, wherein said support portion comprises a plurality of staple cavities, and wherein each said staple cavity comprises an opening; a plurality of staples, wherein at least a portion of each said staple is removably stored within a said staple cavity, wherein each said staple is movable between an unfired position and a fired position, and wherein each said staple is deformable between an unfired configuration and a fired configuration when each said staple is moved between a said unfired position and a said fired position; and a compressible tissue thickness compensator configured to be captured within said staples, wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator at least partially covers said staple cavity openings, wherein said support portion is configured to support said compressible tissue thickness compensator, wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator is configured to assume a different compressed height within different said staples, and wherein said compressible thickness compensator comprises a bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent embedded therein, wherein said compressible tissue thickness compensator comprises a dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density configured to adaptively respond to tissue having different thicknesses, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises an uncompressed hydrophilic agent density when said tissue thickness compensator is in an uncompressed state, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a first compressed hydrophilic agent density in a first said staple in response to tissue having a first thickness in said first staple, wherein said dynamic bioabsorbable hydrophilic agent density comprises a second compressed hydrophilic agent density in a said second staple in response to tissue having a second thickness in said second staple, wherein the first thickness is different than the second thickness, and wherein said first density is different than said second density.