Patent ID: 6059787
Filing Date: 2000-05-09
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A stapling method for fastening a first bone segment to a second bone segment, said first bone segment having an end to be connected to an end of said second bone segment said method including the steps of:a) positioning the end of said first bone segment in face-to-face adjacent relationship with the end of said second bone segment;b) providing a generally U-shaped staple having a pair of spaced apart legs with sharp free ends and distal other ends interconnected by a bridge that has at least one resilient curved portion;c) spreading apart said staple legs by a predetermined amount so as to lessen the curvature of said curved portion and to bring said staple to a tensioned configuration in which one leg is resiliently urged towards the other;d) holding said staple in its tensioned configuration and positioning said tensioned staple with legs generally parallel, and each of the sharp ends of said legs aligned respectively with a spot on the surface of said first and second bone segments; ande) driving and embedding the legs of said tensioned staple into said bone segments and releasing said staple, whereby the opposing faces of the bone segments are caused to be pressed into engagement with a predetermined amount of compressive force.