Instrument for applying plastic-like surgical fastening devices

Claim 1

A surgical fastening device for fastening body tissue, which comprises: a unitary plastic-like retainer having a longitudinal extension; a hole extending longitudinally through the retainer and its longitudinal extension; the retainer being adapted to be positioned on the distal side of the tissue to be fastened; the longitudinal extension of the retainer being laterally expandable about the retainer hole; and a unitary fastener, initially separate from the retainer, having a distally extending prong; the prong being sufficiently rigid to pass through a hole pierced in the tissue to be fastened without additional stiffening means; the fastener being adapted to be positioned on the proximal side of the tissue to be fastened; a laterally extending barb being provided on a lateral surface of the prong; the fastener being adapted to be moved distally so that the prong and its barb: (1) move distally through an opening pierced in the tissue to be fastened, and (2) then move distally into the retainer hole, with the barb urging the longitudinal extension of the retainer to expand laterally, until the barb extends distally of the longitudinal extension of the retainer and a proximal surface of the barb non-releasably engages a laterally extending, distal surface of the longitudinal extension of the retainer about the retainer hole to non-releasably hold the fastener and retainer together and further comprising: a channel extending longitudinally through the fastener and its prong and opening laterally outward from the prong; a pair of barbs on the prong on laterally opposite sides of the fastener channel: the longitudinal center line of the fastener channel; (1) being parallel to the longitudinal center line of the retainer hole and (2) extending within the retainer hole; and the fastener channel being adapted to allow a piercing member and the fastener to move longitudinally with respect to each other, such that: (1) the piercing member can move distally within and with respect to the fastener channel to pierce a hole through the tissue to be fastened, and (2) the fastener and its prong slide distally along the piercing member, such that the prong passes through the hole pierced in the tissue and into the retainer hole to non-releasably hold the fastener and retainer together.