Patent ID: 6626930
Filing Date: 2003-09-30
Classification: A61B,A61F

Abstract:
An apparatus for the approximation of two pieces of tissue, comprising:a probe with a distal tip having at least one lumen and adapted to approach tissue pieces to be joined; a suture-based tissue fastener coupled to the probe for fastening said two pieces of tissue, the suture based tissue fastener comprising a toggle and a suture thread attached to the toggle; a needle having a lumen and a pusher slidingly disposed at a proximal end of the needle lumen, tissue toggle and the suture thread being housed within the distal end of the needle lumen, the pusher being capable of urging the toggle and the suture thread from a distal end of the needle; a delivery lumen having an opening on a distal face of the probe, wherein the delivery lumen receives and deploys the needle, and the distal end of the needle is adapted to pierce through the tissue to be fastened; and at least one vacuum port adjacent the distal tip of the probe, the at least one port being in fluid communication with a vacuum source via the at least one lumen so as to enable the probe to stabilize adjacent pieces of tissue.