Patent ID: 8627992

Claim:
An endovascular stapler system for securing an endograft to a vessel, said system comprising: a staple formed from a memory alloy, said staple including first and second legs joined by a central portion, said legs forming two parallel loops when in a natural condition; a trigger housing including a trigger mechanism within said housing; a staple housing for storing said staple in a deformed condition, said staple having two parallel straight legs joined by said central portion when in said deformed condition, said staple housing having a proximal end and a distal end, said staple housing having a staple exit area formed therein near said distal end thereof, said staple housing including a staple channel having a first guide flange for guiding said first leg of said staple and a second guide flange, which is parallel to and laterally spaced from said first guide flange, for guiding said second leg of said staple, each of said first and second guide flanges including a substantially straight portion and an arcuate portion, said substantially straight portion being configured for storing said staple in said deformed condition, said arcuate portion having a radius that controls transformation of said staple from said deformed condition to said natural condition as said staple exits said staple exit area, said staple channel extending through said staple housing to said staple exit area thereby defining a longitudinal direction; and a balloon situated exterior to said staple housing near said distal end thereof, said balloon adapted to be selectively inflated and deflated to push said staple exit area against the endograft and the vessel; wherein said trigger mechanism is configured to actuate driving a staple from said staple housing through said staple exit area into the endograft and the vessel and transform said staple from said deformed condition to said natural condition as it moves forward along said staple channel due to properties of said memory alloy and not from bending or other shaping introduced by said trigger mechanism or said staple housing, and said two parallel loops of said staple are formed in a direction that is substantially parallel to said longitudinal direction of said staple channel and not toward each other.