Patent ID: 8734484
Filing Date: 2014-05-27
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
1. A method for closing an opening at a target site including bodily tissue, the method comprising: embedding a plurality of clips into the target site in a spaced apart manner about a perimeter of the opening, each clip being U-shaped and having two substantially straight parallel legs connected by an intermediate section extending between the legs, the legs and the intermediate section defining a first plane, and a substantially rigid coupling body which is configured to slidably capture a flexible tether and is assembled to and extends radially inward from the first plane of the legs and the intermediate section, at least one coupling body comprising a first portion through which the tether is slidably captured and a second portion shaped differently than the first portion and thereby configured to optionally attach a distal end of the tether or slidingly capture the tether, each leg having a pointed tip such that upon release from a delivery tool, each leg is embedded into the bodily tissue by self-transitioning from substantially straight to curved, during which self-transitioning each of the two ends legs forms an overlapping loop around an axis which remains parallel to a second plane containing the perimeter, the legs maintaining an essentially constant distance between each other; and in the natural state, each pointed tip is directed radially outward while lying below and being generally parallel to the second plane containing the perimeter; coupling the flexible tether to the coupling body of each of the embedded clips along an axis of the coupling body which is displaced radially inwardly from the first plane of each clip to form a loop about an entirety of the perimeter of the opening, the loop terminating at opposing loop ends; applying a pulling force onto at least one of the opposing loop ends; wherein the pulling force along the radially inwardly displaced axis of the coupling body is transposed onto the embedded clips to draw the perimeter of the opening onto itself to completely close the opening in transitioning the target site from an open state to a closed state; and securing the opposing loop ends to maintain the target site in the closed state.