Inventors:
Deborah W. Bell - Flagstaff AZ, US
Samuel M. Date - Flagstaff AZ, US
Jared G. Ragone - Newark DE, US
Michael S. Winterling - Landenberg PA, US
Assignee:
W. L. Gore & Associates, Inc. - Newark DE
International Classification:
A61B 17/64
Abstract:
A surgical staple line reinforcement is provided for use with a variety of surgical staplers to protect against tissue damage from surgical staples. The surgical staple line reinforcement is made up of a tubular structure of bio-implantable material with one or more stiffening members attached to or integrated within the tubular structure to resist, prevent or inhibit movement, rotation, or longitudinal compression of the tubular structure.