Patent ID: 7950559

Claim:
A bilateral fastening apparatus that secures two pieces of living tissue, the apparatus comprising: a tissue manipulation mechanism for defining the target tissue zones, the tissue manipulation mechanism having a pair of opposed tissue forms operable to approximate the two pieces of living tissue along an interface without overlapping when the forms engage the tissue; a fastener insertable into a pair of pierced openings in a pair of defined target tissue zones, the fastener including a pair of arms operably connected at a backspan, each arm further including an inwardly projecting cleat adapted to interface with living tissue to resist withdrawal upon insertion; a delivery mechanism having an applicator head, the applicator head defining a pair of capture zones, each capture zone adapted to interface with one of the tissue forms so as to define the target tissue zones between corresponding tissue forms and capture zones, the delivery mechanism further including a pair of slidable piercing members adapted to carry the fastener, whereby when the piercing members cut the pierced openings the fastener is carried by the piercing members such that each pierced opening stretches over one of the inwardly projecting cleats as the fastener arms are carried into the pierced openings by the pair of slidable piercing members, wherein an insertion width of each fastener arm is greater than a piercing cross section of the corresponding piercing member; and a handle having at least one trigger mechanism adapted to selectively operate the tissue forms and the delivery mechanism.