Surgical helical fastener with applicator

Abstract

A helical fastener having a high retentive surface area is provided and has a first end for enhancing penetration into tissue and a second end comprising a coil sectioning a diameter of the fastener for receiving longitudinal and rotational forces. The helical fasteners are attached to body tissue by a fastener applicator having a proximal portion comprising a handle and an actuator and an elongate distal portion for housing a plurality of fasteners. A transferring action of the actuator provides longitudinal and rotational movement of the fasteners out of the distal portion and into body tissue.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] This invention relates to surgical fasteners and their associated applicators, and more particularly, surgically fastening material to tissue. [0002] Fasteners have been used surgically to eliminate the need for suturing, which is both time consuming and inconvenient. In many applications the surgeon can use a stapler apparatus, i.e., a fastener implanting device loaded with surgical fasteners to accomplish in a few seconds what would have taken many minutes to perform by suturing. This reduces blood loss and trauma to the patient. [0003] Conventional surgical fasteners have been in the form of ordinary metal staples, which are bent by the delivery apparatus to hook together body tissue. Typically, conventional staples comprise a pair of legs joined together at one end by a crown. The crown may be a straight member connecting the legs or may form an apex. Moreover, the legs may extend substantially perpendicular from the crown or at some angle ther...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] In another embodiment of the surgical fastener, the fastener comprises a double continuous helical coil that is also longitudinally collapsible and expandable and may embody various configurations depending upon the application. Moreover, the distal end of the double helical fastener comprises two points for enhancing penetration into tissue and its proximal end comprises a connector bar which connects the two helixes as well as sections the diameter of the double helical fastener. In yet another embodiment, the surgical fastener further comprises a pivot post extending through the center of the fastener and operating to provide the fastener with a stable pivot. In any of the embodiments, one or more barbs may be employed near the point to enhance anchoring characteristics.

[0017] Further, the lever comprises a midsection extension. Pivotally attached to the midsection extension of the lever is a spring loaded pawl adapted to releasably engage gear teeth formed in the interior of the handle. The spring loaded pawl prohibits the lever from backstroking until it has been completely depressed. Upon complete depression of the lever, the pawl clears the gear teeth and the spring, biasing the pawl, rotates the pawl away from the teeth, thereby allowing the lever to return to its undepressed condition.

Problems solved by technology

Since conventional staples require deformation and must cooperate with applicators having an anvil or other means to deform the staples, conventional applicators typically comprise complex structures and can be prohibitively expensive.

It is to be appreciated, therefore, that the fastener applicators have become complex and expensive instruments.

The two piece fasteners cannot be unlocked and are not removable.

Thus, as with the other conventional applications, two piece fasteners are limited since they cannot be used where access to tissue is from one direction only.

As mentioned previously, however, the applicators commonly used in these situations embody an anvil cooperating with a fastener to deform it and consequently, tend to be of a complex design.

These fasteners are limited, however, since the path created in the graft and tissue by the barbs as the fastener is pressed into the graft and tissue may allow the fastener to loosen its grip or to entirely back out of engagement.

Moreover, due to their sole reliance upon barbs to retain tissue, the barb fasteners are further limited in that they may not have a great enough retentive surface area for securely holding tissue in place.

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