Arcuate apparatus for applying two-part surgical fasteners

Claim 2

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the advancement means comprises a cam bar retainer (38).

Claim 3

Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said member (40) includes a connecting stem (42) attached thereto and insertable into said advancement means (38).

Claim 4

Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the advancement means defines an aperture (42a) to receive the manually operable member, and wherein the aperture (42a) can receive the manually operable member from either the first side or the second side.

Claim 5

Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said fasteners are deformable staples adapted to be applied to body tissue and to be advanced into engagement with staple deforming means.

Claim 6

Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said fasteners are two-part fasteners, a first fastener portion (22, 26) and a second retainer portion (52, 54) adapted to become engagably attached to said fastener portion.

Claim 7

Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, including retainer mounting elements (56, 58) which release their respective retainer portions (52, 54) in response to the engagement of the fastener portions (22, 26) with their respective retainer portions (52, 54).

Claim 8

Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein said retainer mounting elements (56, 58) each comprise a base portion and at least one upright post (72, 74) for engaging an aperture (76, 78) in said retainer portion (52, 54) and frictionally holding said retainer portion.

Claim 9

Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, adapted to fasten body tissue and further comprising means (35) to cut the body tissue adjacent the location of application of said fasteners.

Claim 10

Apparatus as claimed in claim 9, for applying at least two rows of two-part surgical fasteners to body tissue and for cutting the body tissue, each said surgical fastener having at least two pronged fastener portions for piercing body tissue, and a retainer member dimensioned and configured to receive said fastener portion in engaged relation such that the fastener portion and the retainer member are respectively positioned on opposite sides of the body tissue, which comprises: a) a two-part frame having separable arcuately configured sections (12,14) capable of releasable attachment to each other and each having an elongated finger portion; b) a fastener carrying cartridge (16) having an arcuate configuration similar to one of said elongated finger portions and mounted along one of said finger portions and carrying a plurality of said fastener portions; c) a retainer carrying cartridge (47) having an arcuate configuration similar to the other of said elongated finger portions and mounted along said other finger portion opposite said fastener cartridge and carrying a plurality of said retainer members (52, 54) positioned opposite said fastener portions, each said retainer member having apertures dimensioned and positioned for reception of said pronged portions of said fastener portions when said fastener portions are advanced toward said retainer members; d) means (38) mounted on said frame for sequentially advancing said fastener portions toward said retainer members while piercing body tissue positioned therebetween to effect application of said two-part fasteners to the body tissue; e) means (35) associated with said fastener advancement means to cut body tissue adjacent the location of application of said fasteners, and wherein f) said two-part frame comprises a pair of channel members (20, 48) having means to releasably attach said members in face to face relation.

Claim 11

Apparatus (10) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, for applying at least one row of two-part surgical fasteners which comprises: a) a first half-section (14) having first means (16) for holding a plurality of fastener portions of the two-part fasteners; b) a second half section, having second means (12) configured and dimensioned to cooperate with said first means; wherein the first and second half sections are pivotably connected to one another at a proximal end; and c) means (24) for driving said fastener portions into tissue toward said second means; wherein the first means is elongate and arcuate over its length from a distal end to a proximal end thereof; wherein the second means is elongate and correspondingly arcuate; wherein said first arcuate means comprises an arcuate fastener cartridge (16) for supporting said fastener portions (22, 26); wherein the second arcuate means comprises means for supporting a plurality of retainer portions (52, 54) of the two-part fasteners in such a position as to enable the retainer portions to become engagably attached to said fastener portions; and wherein said fastener driving means further comprises a pair of correspondingly arcuate cam bars (34, 36), mounted to be slidable along channels in the first means, by means of a slidable finger pad (40), for sequentially driving said row of fastener portions of said two-part fasteners into engagement with their respective opposed retainer portions, and a guide channel (33) for receiving said cam bars.