Patent ID: 8006886

Claim:
A surgical tissue fastening apparatus, comprising: (i) one longitudinal member having a proximal end, a distal end, a first location positioned between said proximal end and said distal end, and a second location positioned between said first location and said distal end; (ii) a surgical fastener ejector disposed in line with a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal member at said first location; (iii) an essentially planar tissue contacting and moving surface disposed at said distal end; and (iv) at least one articulation joint disposed at said second location, the at least one articulation joint being configured to enable said one longitudinal member to be bent from a straight configuration wherein the planar tissue contacting and moving surface and the surgical fastener ejector are aligned with the longitudinal axis of said longitudinal member into a curved configuration wherein the planar tissue contacting and moving surface is moved into opposing relationship to the surgical fastener ejector.