Coherent surgical staple array

Claim 2

A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising: a plurality of individual, deformable surgical staples, each of said staples including a pair of legs joined together at one end by a crown, said staples arranged one next to the other in a contiguous parallel array with any two adjacent staples having their legs and crowns touching; and a film made from a biologically compatible non-toxic material, said film being disposed between adjacent staples in said array for bonding said adjacent staples one to the other.

Claim 3

The stack of claim 1, wherein said material is biologically degradable and absorbable in the body.

Claim 4

The stack of claim 2, wherein said material is a synthetic polymer.

Claim 5

The stack of claim 3, wherein said polymer comprises polyglycolic acid.

Claim 6

The stack of claim 3, wherein said polymer comprises polylactic acid.

Claim 7

The stack of claim 3, wherein said material comprises a copolymer of polylactic and polyglycolic acids.

Claim 8

The stack of claim 6, wherein said biologically compatible material comprises a copolymer of 90% polylactic acid with 10% polyglycolic acid.

Claim 9

The stack of claim 7, wherein the polylactic acid is primarily the L+stereoisomer.

Claim 10

The stack of claim 1, wherein said material is biodegradable.

Claim 11

A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising: a plurality of individual deformable surgical staples, each of said staples including a pair of legs joined together at one end by a crown, said staples arranged one next to the other in a contiguous parallel array with any two adjacent staples having their similar legs and crowns touching, and a biodegradable, absorbable plastic disposed about adjacent staples for securing said adjacent staples one to the other.

Claim 12

A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising: a plurality of individual deformable surgical staples, each of said staples including a pair of legs joined together at one end by a crown, said staples arranged one next to the other in a contiguous parallel array with any two adjacent staples having their similar legs and crowns touching, and a biodegradable, absorbable plastic disposed about adjacent staples for securing said adjacent staples one to the other.

Claim 13

For use in a surgical stapling instrument that deforms individual surgical staples in the act of stapling disunited tissue, a coherent stack of staples comprising: a plurality of individual deformable surgical staples arranged in a parallel contiguous relationship, and a biologically compatible material securing said staples one to the other.

Claim 14

For use in a surgical stapling instrument that deforms individual surgical staples in the act of stapling disunited tissue, a coherent stack of staples comprising: a plurality of individual deformable surgical staples arranged in a parallel contiguous relationship, and a biologically compatible material securing said staples one to the other.

Claim 15

The stack of claim 11, wherein said material is biologically degradable.

Claim 16

The stack of claim 11, wherein said material is absorbable in the body.

Claim 17

The stack of claim 11, wherein said material is a synthetic absorbable polymer.

Claim 18

The stack of claim 14, wherein said polymer is made from polyglycolic acid.

Claim 19

The stack of claim 14, wherein said polymer is made from polylactic acid.

Claim 20

The stack of claim 14, wherein said polymer comprises a copolymer of polylactic and polyglycolic acid.

Claim 21

The stack of claim 17, wherein said biologically compatible material comprises a copolymer of 90% L+lactic acid with 10% glycolic acid.

Claim 22

The stack of claim 1, wherein said surgical staples are made of metal.

Claim 23

The stack of claim 11, wherein said surgical staples are made of metal.

Claim 24

A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising: a plurality of individual deformable metal surgical staples, each of said staples including a pair of legs spaced from each other and joined together at one end by a crown, said staples arranged one next to the other in a contiguous parallel array with any two adjacent staples having their similar legs and crowns touching; and a film made from a biologically compatible non-toxic material, said film being disposed about adjacent staples in said array for bonding said adjacent staples one to the other.

Claim 25

A coherent surgical-staple stack comprising: a plurality of individual deformable metal surgical staples, each of said staples including a pair of legs spaced from each other and joined together at one end by a crown, said staples arranged one next to the other in a contiguous parallel array with any two adjacent staples having their similar legs and crowns touching; and a film made from a biologically compatible non-toxic material, said film being disposed about adjacent staples in said array for bonding said adjacent staples one to the other.

Claim 26

The stack of claim 21, wherein said film is confined to an area between the crowns of adjacent staples.

Claim 27

The stack of claim 21, wherein said film is confined to the areas between the legs of adjacent staples.