U.S. Patent 8011555 was awarded to Tyco Healthcare Group LP on 2011-09-06 and describes a “Surgical stapling apparatus.” This patent has been cited 432 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:

A surgical stapling apparatus is provided and includes a cartridge assembly defining a tissue contacting surface and a longitudinally extending elongate slot; an anvil assembly defining a tissue contacting surface and a longitudinally extending elongate slot; a surgical buttress releasably secured to at least one of the tissue contacting surface of the cartridge assembly and the tissue contacting surface of the anvil assembly by at least one anchor; a central knife blade slidably disposable in the longitudinal extending elongate slot of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly; and a knife blade supported in a distal end portion of at least one of the cartridge assembly and the anvil assembly, wherein the distal knife blade is actuatable by the central knife blade upon an actuation of the central knife blade. Link: U.S. Patent 8011555

This patent was originally filed on 2008-12-23 which gives it a processing time of 987 days, compared to an average processing time of 1097 in the field. Tyco Healthcare Group LP has 1168 total patents. The first named inventor is Ernie Aranyi of Easton, PA. The primary examiner was Brian D Nash.

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/