Patent ID: 8603138

Claim:
A surgical device for staunching the flow of blood from tissue, the surgical device comprising: a) an adhesive implantable in a patient's body; b) a vacuum system for capturing tissue therein, the vacuum system comprising: (i) a flexible shaft, wherein the flexible shaft has a distal end, (ii) a vacuum cannula, wherein the vacuum cannula is disposed within and runs parallel to the flexible shaft, wherein the vacuum cannula is slidable within the flexible shaft, and (iii) a vacuum head disposed at the distal end of the vacuum cannula, wherein the vacuum head is configured to form a vacuum chamber for the reception of tissue therein, wherein the vacuum cannula and the vacuum head are configured to advance together from an interior position within the flexible shaft to an exterior position where the vacuum head is located distal to the distal end of the flexible shaft, wherein the vacuum head is configured to collapse in the interior position to a collapsed configuration, wherein the vacuum head is configured to expand to an expanded configuration in the exterior position when extended from the distal end of the flexible shaft, wherein the vacuum head has a first circumference in the expanded configuration, wherein the distal end of the flexible shaft has a second circumference, and wherein the first circumference is greater than the second circumference; and c) an adhesive system for applying the adhesive to tissue captured within the vacuum system to staunch the flow of blood, the adhesive system comprising an adhesive cannula, wherein the adhesive cannula is coaxially disposed within and runs parallel to the vacuum cannula, wherein the adhesive system comprises an adhesive tip at a distal end of the adhesive cannula, wherein the adhesive cannula is movable relative to the vacuum cannula such that the adhesive cannula is operable to move the adhesive tip from a first position within the vacuum cannula and proximal to the distal end of the flexible shaft to a second position distal of the flexible shaft, wherein the vacuum system and the adhesive system are configured and positioned relative to each other such that the adhesive system is operable to apply the adhesive to tissue captured within the vacuum system and thereby form a protective cap with the adhesive to staunch the flow of blood from the tissue captured within the vacuum system.