1. A surgical stapling apparatus comprising:
a tubular body portion having a connection member;
a staple cartridge assembly operably supported on the tubular body portion, the staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of staple retaining slots and a surgical staple in each of the staple retaining slots;
an anvil head configured to support an anvil plate thereon, the anvil plate defining a plurality of staple forming pockets in registration with the staple retaining slots;
a shaft extending from the anvil head and configured to selectively engage the connection member of the tubular body portion; and
a wound treatment material disposed within each of the plurality of staple forming pockets of the anvil plate, wherein the wound treatment material is at least one of an adhesive, a sealant, a hemostat and a medicament, wherein the wound treatment material is contained in a capsule, wherein each capsule is configured for retention within the staple forming pockets.
2. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes at least one of an adhesive which cures upon tissue contact, an adhesive which cures upon exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, and an adhesive which is pressure sensitive.
3. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the adhesive includes at least one of a protein derived, aldehyde-based adhesive material, and a cyanoacrylate-based material.
4. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealant material includes at least one of a fibrin sealant material, a collagen-based and synthetic polymer-based tissue sealant material, and synthetic polyethylene glycol-based, hydrogel sealant material.
5. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the hemostat material includes at least one of a fibrin-based material, a collagen-based material, an oxidized regenerated cellulose-based material, a gelatin-based material, and a fibrinogen-thrombin material.
6. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the medicament includes at least one of drugs, enzymes, growth factors, peptides, proteins, dyes, and diagnostic agents.
7. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the staple forming pockets are arranged in a pair of spaced apart concentric annular rings.
8. The surgical stapling apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the staple forming pockets are in registration with respective staple retaining slots formed in a staple cartridge assembly of the surgical stapling apparatus.
9. A method of preparing a surgical stapling apparatus for use or providing a surgical stapling apparatus for joining a pair of opposed tissues, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a surgical stapling apparatus, including:
a tubular body portion having a connection member;
a staple cartridge assembly operably supported on the tubular body portion, the staple cartridge assembly having a plurality of staple retaining slots and a surgical staple in each of the staple retaining slots;
an anvil head configured to support an anvil plate thereon, the anvil plate defining a plurality of staple forming pockets in registration with the staple retaining slots; and
a shaft extending from the anvil head and configured to selectively engage the connection member of the tubular body portion;
disposing a wound treatment material within each of the plurality of staple forming pockets of the anvil plate, wherein the wound treatment material is at least one of an adhesive, a sealant, a hemostat and a medicament; and
placing the wound treatment material in a capsule prior to the step of disposing the wound treatment material within each of the plurality of staple forming pockets.
10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of placing a liner at least partially over the plurality of staple forming pockets after the step of disposing the wound treatment material within each of the plurality of staple forming pockets.
11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the liner is fabricated from a bio-absorbable material.
12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the liner is fabricated from a fluid impermeable material which is ruptured by staples of the surgical stapling apparatus.
13. The method according to claim 10, wherein at least a portion of the liner remains in a patient’s body after use of the surgical stapling apparatus.
14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the adhesive includes at least one of a protein derived, aldehyde-based adhesive material, and a cyanoacrylate-based material.
15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the sealant material includes at least one of a fibrin sealant material, a collagen-based and synthetic polymer-based tissue sealant material, and synthetic polyethylene glycol-based, hydrogel sealant material.
16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the hemostat material includes at least one of a fibrin-based material, a collagen-based material, an oxidized regenerated cellulose-based material, a gelatin-based material, and a fibrinogen-thrombin material.
17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the medicament includes at least one of drugs, enzymes, growth factors, peptides, proteins, dyes, and diagnostic agents.
18. The method according to claim 10, further comprising the step of disposing a wound treatment material in within each of the plurality of staple retaining slots, wherein the wound treatment material is at least one of an adhesive, a sealant, a hemostat and a medicament.
19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the step of placing a liner over at least some of the plurality of staple retaining slots.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A process for conducting single-pass filtration of ink waste including:
providing said ink waste; and
passing said ink waste through a plurality of absorbent layers, wherein said absorbent layers are in any order and include:
a layer for removing metal and polar compounds;
a layer for removing non-polar color impurities;
a layer for removing acid functional components;
a layer for removing additives with polar or protic functional groups; and
a layer for removing residual water.
2. The process according to claim 1, wherein said ink waste is passed through five absorbent layers in the following order:
said layer for removing metal and polar compounds, wherein said layer for removing metal and polar compounds includes a zeolite;
said layer for removing non-polar color impurities, wherein said layer for removing non-polar color impurities includes activated carbon;
said layer for removing acid functional components, wherein said layer for removing acid functional components includes basic alumina;
said layer for removing additives with polar or protic functional groups, wherein said layer for removing additives with polar or protic functional groups includes silica; and
said layer for removing residual water, wherein said layer for removing residual water includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of anhydrous calcium chloride, barium oxide, calcium sulfate, anhydrous magnesium, magnesium sulfate, metallic sodium, phosphorus pentoxide, solid potassium, anhydrous forms of potassium carbonate, quicklime, sodium hydroxide, sodium pentoxide, anhydrous forms of sodium sulfate, and sulfate.
3. The process according to claim 2, wherein said layer for removing metal and polar compounds further includes one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of barium oxide, anhydrous calcium chloride, calcium sulfate, anhydrous magnesium, magnesium sulfate, metallic sodium, phosphorus pentoxide, solid potassium, anhydrous forms of potassium carbonate, quicklime, sodium hydroxide, sodium pentoxide, anhydrous forms of sodium sulfate, and sulfate.
4. The process according to claim 1, further including:
passing said ink waste through a quality verification unit, wherein said quality verification unit includes:
a first detector for measuring the ultraviolet-visible absorbance of said ink waste; and
a second detector for measuring the conductivity of said ink waste.
5. The process according to claim 4, further including:
passing said ink waste through said plurality of absorbent layers an additional time if said ink waste is determined by said quality verification unit to have absorbance at any wavelength between 380 nm and 800 nm or a conductivity greater than 1 pScm.
6. The process according to claim 1, further including:
passing regeneration chemicals through said plurality of absorbent layers to regenerate said absorbent layers.
7. The process according to claim 6, wherein said regeneration chemicals include one or more chemicals selected from the group consisting of aliphatic hydrocarbons, halocarbons, alcohols, and aromatics.