Patent ID: 7824421

Claim:
An instrument for use in a procedure to effect anastomosis of a patient's bladder and urethra following a prostatectomy, comprising: a flexible tube assembly, comprising a spine member and a rod movable with respect to said spine member; and an end effector assembly operably supported by said tube assembly, the end effector further comprising: an anchor driver assembly in operable mechanical communication with said rod and actuatable by movement of said rod to drive an anchor, an anchor releasably held by said anchor driver assembly by a movable engagement member, an anchor guide held by said end effector assembly, wherein the anchor guide defines a preformed guide opening sized to permit insertion of the anchor therethrough, and an anchor guide release member, wherein the anchor guide release member is movable to release the anchor guide from the positioned, wherein said anchor guide guides said anchor through the preformed guide opening when said anchor is driven by said anchor driver assembly, wherein the anchor guide comprises an anchor disengagement feature configured to contact the moveable engagement member and thereby move the engagement member to disengage the anchor from the anchor driver assembly when the anchor is driven through the preformed guide opening.