U.S. Patent 7744627 was awarded to Tyco Healthcare Group LP on 2010-06-29 and describes a “Annular support structures.” This patent has been cited 479 times by other U.S. patents which places it in the top 500 cited patents since 2010 according to our law firm research, and makes it of the most innovative medical technology patents in the field of instruments. The abstract states:

Reinforcing lumen rings are configured and adapted for use in conjunction with a circular endoscopic stapling instrument having a staple cartridge assembly and an anvil assembly. The reinforcing lumen rings maintain anastomotic lumen, e.g. as formed by the circular endoscopic stapling apparatus, in an open condition. The reinforcing lumen rings can include an annular ring having an outer terminal edge and an inner terminal edge, the outer terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an outer diameter of the staple cartridge assembly and the inner terminal edge having a diameter which is substantially equal to an inner diameter of the staple cartridge assembly. Link: U.S. Patent 7744627

This patent was originally filed on 2003-06-17 which gives it a processing time of 2569 days, compared to an average processing time of 1760 in the field. Tyco Healthcare Group LP has 1168 total patents. The first named inventor is Joseph P. Orban, III of Norwalk, CT. The primary examiner was Julian W Woo.

Select Patents monitors top medical technology patents and instruments patents which have been allowed and granted worldwide. If you would like legal advice regarding a patent or would like to file a patent go to https://selectpatents.wpengine.com/contact/