Patent ID: 8312885

Claim:
A method of disposing a structure between tissue sections, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a surgical stapling device having an anvil assembly and a body portion, the anvil assembly having an anvil shaft supporting an anvil member and supporting a support structure thereon while in a collapsed condition, and the body portion carrying a plurality of surgical staples and a knife, the support structure comprising a wound treatment material; b) inserting the anvil assembly into a first tissue section; c) inserting the body portion into a second tissue section; d) deploying the support structure from the collapsed condition to a deployed condition whereby the support structure extends between the first tissue section and the second tissue section; e) approximating the anvil assembly and body portion with one another so that an end portion of the first tissue section, an end portion of the second tissue section and the support structure are disposed between the anvil member and the body portion, the support structure being disposed between the first tissue section and the second tissue section; f) deploying the staples from the body portion; and g) cutting the first tissue section and the second tissue section with the knife.