Patent ID: 7766924

Claim:
A device for performing anastomosis between a graft vessel and a target vessel, comprising: a tissue effector comprising an anvil having a channel defined generally longitudinally therein; a cutter slidable in a plane along at least part of said channel, said cutter having at least one sharp projection extending therefrom; and a staple holder movable relative to said anvil, said staple holder configured to be selectively and substantially fixed relative to said anvil, wherein said staple holder includes a first arm and a second arm spaced apart from said first arm, each said arm having at least one connector bay defined therein, wherein said connector bays defined in said first arm are angled in a first direction relative to said plane and said connector bays defined in said second arm are angled in a second direction relative to said plane, said second direction different from said first direction, at least one connector bay holding a corresponding connector, and wherein each said connector in said first arm is ejected from the corresponding said connector bay in said first direction and each said connector in said second arm is ejected from the corresponding said connector bay in said second direction, wherein each of said first direction and said second direction intersect said plane; an energy storage device operationally connected to said tissue effector, wherein said energy storage device is configured to release stored energy to actuate said tissue effector; wherein, while said staple holder is substantially fixed relative to said anvil, at least one said sharp projection is movable upward from and at least partially out of said channel in said anvil, then longitudinally along the same said anvil, then downward into the same said channel in the same said anvil.