Abstract A fastener system for utilizing an H-shaped fastener which is composed of a pair of shaft members having a diameter of approximately 1 mm that are interconnected by a bridge shaft resiliently joined to the shaft members to form the H-shape. The shaft members have sufficient columnar resistence to bending to permit a shaft member to be compressively inserted into body tissue. A fixation tool carries the fastener for injection into body tissue and has a housing with a needle tip of approximately 5 mm in length. The needle tip has a longitudinally extending slot into which the bridge shaft of the H-shaped fastener member is captively held by interference fit. A setting rod is extendible through the needle tip and bears against a shaft of the H-shaped fastener such that an external force applied to the setting rod will be transmitted to the fastener to drive it into the body tissue.
A setting tool for laparoscopically inserting a fastener into body tissue comprising: a) a housing having a longitudinal axis and a proximate and distal end; b) a needle member having a central axis carried by said housing adjacent said distal end of said housing so as to form the distal tip of said setting tool, said needle member having a conduit extending, axially therethrough and an axial open slot extending partially through the periphery of said needle member, and communicating with said conduit where said slot is axially bounded in a direction proximate of said distal tip and so proportioned and dimensioned to captively hold said fastener; and c) setting means slideably carried by said housing and responsive to external force for applying a thrust force axially within said needle member to said fastener so as to eject said fastener from said slot and into said body tissue.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A setting tool for laparoscopically inserting a fastener into body tissue comprising: a) a housing having a longitudinal axis and a proximate and distal end; b) a needle member having a central axis carried by said housing adjacent said distal end of said housing so as to form the distal tip of said setting tool, said needle member having a conduit extending, axially therethrough and an axial open slot extending partially through the periphery of said needle member, and communicating with said conduit where said slot is axially bounded in a direction proximate of said distal tip and so proportioned and dimensioned to captively hold said fastener; and c) setting means slideably carried by said housing and responsive to external force for applying a thrust force axially within said needle member to said fastener so as to eject said fastener from said slot and into said body tissue.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The setting tool recited in claim 1 wherein said setting means further comprises a plunger member adapted for axial extension through said conduit, a washer mounted to said plunger member, and a helical spring compressively bearing against said washer member and said housing for applying a restoring force to said plunger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The setting tool recited in claim 2 wherein said housing has an axially extending cavity therethrough where said cavity communicates with said conduit forming an axially extending passageway.