Patent ID: 8317801

Claim:
A surgical tool suitable for facilitating guiding a biocompatible device to a target area located in vivo, said tool comprising: a tether; and a wand assembly, said wand assembly including a hand grip portion, a central portion and a passer member portion, said hand grip portion constructed and arranged to be grasped by a human hand, said central portion providing spacing between said hand grip portion and said passer member portion, said passer member portion pivotably connected to said central portion for controlled movement about a pivot axis, said passer member portion constructed and arranged for releasable attachment to a first end of said tether, said tether including a second end securable to a biocompatible implant, said hand grip portion including an actuator member operable to cause rotation of said passer member portion about said pivot axis, whereby operation of said actuator member during forward movement of said central portion provides directional progression of said passer member portion and tether member through tissue to said in vivo target area, wherein said passer member portion includes a cavity therein, said cavity sized and configured to cooperate with an enlarged portion of said tether, wherein said enlarged portion of said tether is a targeting member secured to said first end of said tether, wherein said targeting member is secured within said cavity, said targeting member having a first end constructed and arranged to penetrate and create a pathway through tissue as said targeting member is advanced in vivo, wherein said targeting member is constructed of a steering material capable of being magnetically influenced.