Patent ID: 8603116

Claim:
A device for engaging tissue, comprising: a generally annular-shaped body defining a plane and disposed about a central axis extending substantially normal to the plane, the body being movable from a substantially planar configuration lying generally in the plane towards a transverse configuration extending out of the plane, the body comprising: a plurality of looped elements comprising alternating inner and outer curved regions, the inner curved regions defining an inner periphery of the body and the outer curved regions defining an outer periphery of the body in the planar configuration, each inner curved region forming an outwardly facing cavity and each outer curved region forming an inwardly facing cavity; and a plurality of tines extending from the outer curved regions, each tine extending from a base of the inwardly facing cavity and being spaced apart from a remainder of the outer curved region and the inner curved region, the tines being oriented generally towards the central axis in the planar configuration, and generally parallel to the central axis in the transverse configuration.