Patent ID: 7500993

Claim:
A method of repairing a patient's ventral hernia, the method comprising the steps of: making an incision through exterior layers of the patient's abdomen exposing the patient's left and right rectus sheaths inside the abdomen; making incisions through anterior layers of both the left and right rectus sheaths exposing interiors of both the left and right rectus sheaths; inserting jaws of a linear cutter through the incisions through the anterior layers of the rectus sheaths; positioning the jaws of the linear cutter inside the interiors of the left and right rectus sheaths adjacent portions of the left and right rectus sheaths on opposite sides of the hernia; closing the jaws of the linear cutter and thereby bringing together the portions of the left and right rectus sheaths on opposite sides of the hernia and closing the hernia; discharging sutures from the jaws of the linear cutter and forming an upper line of sutures securing together the portions of the left and right rectus sheaths, and forming a lower line of sutures securing together the portions of the left and right rectus sheaths; activating a cutting blade of the linear cutter and forming an opening through both the left and right rectus sheaths between the upper line of the sutures and the lower line of the sutures; removing the jaws of the linear cutter from inside the interiors of the left and right rectus sheaths; inserting a piece of surgical mesh through the incisions through the anterior layers of the rectus sheaths and positioning the piece of surgical mesh in the opening through both the left and right rectus sheaths between the upper line of sutures and the lower line of sutures; suturing and securing the piece of surgical mesh in position between the upper line of sutures and the lower line of sutures; closing the incisions through the anterior layers of the rectus sheaths; and, closing the incision through the exterior layers of the patient's abdomen.