Applicator and method for deploying a surgical fastener in tissue
First Claim
1. An applicator for deploying a fastener into tissue, the fastener including a head portion and a filament portion extending from the head portion, said applicator comprising:
- an actuator;
a chuck;
an elongated hollow needle member;
a push rod; and
connector means for interconnecting said needle member and said chuck, said connector means comprising a first part including resilient walls defining an axially open cavity having an enlarged inner portion, and a second part having an inner neck portion and an enlarged outer portion adapted for releasable locking engagement within said enlarged inner portion of said first part;
said elongated hollow needle member having a pointed distal end portion, a slotted portion for releasably retaining the head of the fastener, and a proximal portion defining one part of said connector means;
a sleeve member engaging said actuator and movable axially around said distal portion of said chuck and said proximal portion of said elongated hollow needle member so as to encircle said first and second parts of said connector means and thereby lock said first and second parts of said connector means together so as to prevent inadvertent separation thereof;
said chuck having a proximal portion fixedly attached to said actuator and a distal portion comprising the other part of said connector means;
said push rod having a distal end portion adapted for reciprocal lengthwise movement in said needle member; and
,said actuator including means for moving said push rod in said needle member so as to eject the head portion of the fastener from said slotted portion of said needle member.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An applicator for deploying a fastener into tissue, the fastener including a head portion and a filament portion extending from the head portion, the applicator comprising an elongated hollow needle member having a pointed distal end portion, a slotted portion for releasably retaining the head of the shaped fastener, and a first connector portion; and a chuck comprising a second connector portion engageable with the first connector portion for interconnecting the needle member and the chuck, a push rod having a distal end portion adapted to move lengthwise in the needle member, and an actuator for moving the push rod in the needle member so as to eject the head portion of the fastener from the slotted portion of the needle member. A method for deploying the fastener in tissue is also disclosed.
488 Citations
16 Claims
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1. An applicator for deploying a fastener into tissue, the fastener including a head portion and a filament portion extending from the head portion, said applicator comprising:
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an actuator; a chuck; an elongated hollow needle member; a push rod; and connector means for interconnecting said needle member and said chuck, said connector means comprising a first part including resilient walls defining an axially open cavity having an enlarged inner portion, and a second part having an inner neck portion and an enlarged outer portion adapted for releasable locking engagement within said enlarged inner portion of said first part; said elongated hollow needle member having a pointed distal end portion, a slotted portion for releasably retaining the head of the fastener, and a proximal portion defining one part of said connector means; a sleeve member engaging said actuator and movable axially around said distal portion of said chuck and said proximal portion of said elongated hollow needle member so as to encircle said first and second parts of said connector means and thereby lock said first and second parts of said connector means together so as to prevent inadvertent separation thereof; said chuck having a proximal portion fixedly attached to said actuator and a distal portion comprising the other part of said connector means; said push rod having a distal end portion adapted for reciprocal lengthwise movement in said needle member; and
,said actuator including means for moving said push rod in said needle member so as to eject the head portion of the fastener from said slotted portion of said needle member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14)
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- 4. An applicator according to claim 4 wherein said actuator is provided with a lever connected to said sleeve, said lever being manipulable relative to said sleeve so as to move said sleeve selectively between a first position encircling said first and second parts of said connector means and a second position not encircling said first and second parts of said connector means.
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15. A method for deploying a fastener into mammalian tissue, said method comprising the steps of:
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providing an applicator for deploying a fastener into tissue, the fastener including a head portion and a filament portion extending from the head portion, said applicator comprising; an actuator; a chuck; an elongated hollow needle member; a push rod; a sleeve; and connector means for interconnecting said needle member and said chuck, said connector means comprising a first part including resilient walls defining an axially open cavity having an enlarged inner portion, and a second part having an inner neck portion and an enlarged outer portion adapted for releasable locking engagement within said enlarged inner portion of said first part; said elongated hollow needle member having a pointed distal end portion, a slotted portion for releasably retaining the head of the fastener, and a proximal portion defining one part of said connector means; said chuck having a proximal portion fixedly attached to said actuator and a distal portion comprising the other part of said connector means; said push rod having a distal end portion adapted for reciprocal lengthwise movement in said needle member; and
,said actuator including means for moving said push rod in said needle member so as to eject the head portion of the fastener from said slotted portion of said needle member; and said sleeve surrounding said chuck and being movable relative to said actuator between a first position surrounding said second connector means and a second position not surrounding said second connector means; placing the head portion of the fastener within said slotted portion of said hollow needle member; interconnecting said first and second parts of said connector means so as to attach said needle member to said chuck; sliding said sleeve from said second position to said first position such that said sleeve resides over said interconnected first and second parts of said connector means so as to prevent inadvertent separation of said needle member from said chuck; advancing said needle member to a point whereat the needle member slotted portion extends through an area in which placement of the fastener is desired; manipulating said actuator so as to move said push rod distally so as to engage said fastener head portion and eject said head portion of the fastener from the slotted portion of said needle member; and removing said needle member from said tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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Specification