Surgical stapling device with coated knife blade

Abstract

A surgical stapling device is disclosed for performing circular anastomoses. The surgical stapling device includes a handle portion, an elongated body portion and a head portion including an anvil assembly and a shell assembly. The surgical stapling device includes a knife blade possessing a lubricious coating which enhances the ability of the knife to cut through tissue and minimizes the knife sticking to tissue or other components of the surgical stapling device.

1 . A surgical stapling device comprising a knife, said knife comprising a tissue cutting end and a surface, a portion of said surface having a coating thereon, the coating comprising at least one polydialkylsiloxane and at least one siliconization material.  
     
     
         2 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 1  wherein the polydialkylsiloxane comprises a polydimethylsiloxane and the siliconization material comprises a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups.  
     
     
         3 - 5 . (canceled)  
     
     
         6 . A surgical stapling device comprising a knife, said knife comprising a tissue cutting end and a surface, a portion of said surface having a coating thereon, the coating formed from a coating mixture comprising at least one polydialkylsiloxane, at least one siliconization material, and at least one organic solvent.  
     
     
         7 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 6  wherein the polydialkylsiloxane has a molecular weight sufficient to provide a viscosity of the coating mixture of at least about 10,000 cp.  
     
     
         8 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 6  wherein the siliconization material comprises a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups and the solvent is at least one of a hydrocarbon solvent of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms, a hydrofluoroether, and an alcohol.  
     
     
         9 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 6  wherein the coating mixture further comprises a first solution comprising the polydialkylsiloxane and a first organic solvent and a second solution comprising the siliconization material and a second organic solvent.  
     
     
         10 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 9  wherein the first solution comprises a polydimethylsiloxane and the first solvent is at least one of a hydrocarbon solvent of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms and a hydrofluoroether.  
     
     
         11 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 9  wherein the first solution comprises a polydimethylsiloxane and the first solvent is selected from the group consisting of hexane and heptane.  
     
     
         12 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 9  wherein the second solution comprises an aminoalkyl siloxane and at least one other siloxane copolymerizable therewith and the second solvent is at least one of a hydrocarbon solvent of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms, a hydrofluoroether, and an alcohol.  
     
     
         13 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 9  wherein the second solution comprises a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups and the second solvent is at least one of a hydrocarbon solvent of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms, a hydrofluoroether, and an alcohol.  
     
     
         14 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 9  wherein the second solution comprises a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups and the second solvent is selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, isopropanol and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The surgical stapling device of  claim 6  wherein the coating mixture further comprises a first solution comprising a polydimethylsiloxane and a hydrocarbon solvent selected from the group consisting of hexane and heptane and a second solution comprising a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups and a solvent selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, isopropanol and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         16 . A method of coating a knife for inclusion into a surgical stapler, said knife comprising a tissue cutting end and a surface, the method comprising the steps of: 
 applying a coating mixture to a portion of said surface of said knife, the coating mixture comprising at least one polydialkylsiloxane, at least one siliconization material, and at least one organic solvent; and    evaporating a substantial portion of the organic solvent from the coating mixture.    
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of curing the coating mixture.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of evaporating a substantial portion of the organic solvent from the coating mixture comprises evaporating substantially all of the organic solvent from the coating mixture.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of applying a coating mixture comprises applying a siliconization material comprising a polydimethylsiloxane having amino and alkoxy functional groups and the solvent is at least one of a hydrocarbon solvent of from about 5 to about 10 carbon atoms, a hydrofluoroether, and an alcohol.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the step of applying a coating mixture comprises applying a first solution comprising the polydialkylsiloxane and a first organic solvent and a second solution comprising the siliconization material and a second organic solvent.