Patent ID: 7059331
Filing Date: 2006-06-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A method of performing a full-thickness resection within a body organ, comprising the steps of: slidably coupling a stapling head to a flexible endoscope; inserting the stapling head into a body lumen via a naturally occurring body orifice and sliding the stapling head along the endoscope to a desired location within the body lumen; drawing a folded full-thickness portion of tissue to be resected between a stapling mechanism and an anvil of the stapling head so that two full thicknesses of the lumenal tissue are located between the anvil and the stapling mechanism; firing a plurality of staples through the folded portion of tissue to couple together the fold; and cutting away from the lumen wall a portion of tissue radially within the staples so that the body lumen remains sealed by the staples.