Patent ID: 7789889

Claim:
A method of loading a bolster material onto a surgical stapling device, the method comprising: providing a surgical stapling device having a receiving area for receipt of a bolster material, the receiving area including a first surface and a second surface; providing a loading device for loading a single piece of bolster material onto the surgical stapling device, the loading device comprising: an applicator element having a first applicator face for holding a first portion of said single piece of bolster material, and a second applicator face for holding a second portion of said single piece of bolster material; a single piece of bolster material removably positioned on the applicator element, the single piece of bolster material including a first bolster material portion having a face received on said first applicator face, a second bolster material portion having a face received on said second applicator face, and a bend portion connecting said first bolster material portion and said second bolster material portion, wherein said first bolster material portion, said second bolster material portion, and said bend portion are formed from a single piece of bovine pericardium; a clip element into which the applicator element and bolster material are received for holding the bolster material in contact with the applicator element, the clip element having a proximal handle portion and a distal receiving portion, the applicator element only partially received within the clip element such that a distal region of the applicator element extends distally beyond the distal receiving portion of the clip element; and an adhesive material on a surface of said single piece of bolster material for adhering said single piece of bolster material to said surgical stapling device; and delivering the loading device to the surgical stapling device such that the single piece of bolster material is received in the receiving area, and such that the face of the first bolster material portion contacts and is held against the first surface of the receiving area and the face of the second bolster material portion contacts and is held against the second surface of the receiving area.