Patent ID: 8500777

Claim:
A method for approximating and fastening tissue comprising sequentially: positioning a device having a distal tool assembly incorporating at least one tissue fastener having two or more tissue penetrating members in a pre-deployed configuration in proximity to target tissue surface; moving the at least one tissue fastener from its pre-deployed position within the distal tool assembly to a partially deployed configuration in which at least two tissue penetrating members of the tissue fastener are exposed beyond the distal end of the device; engaging tissue at a first location with at least one penetrating member of the at least one tissue fastener; repositioning the engaged tissue and the at least one tissue penetrating member to approximate tissue at the first location toward a second location and forming an invaginated tissue fold projecting away from the distal tool assembly and the first and second location; engaging tissue at the second location with another of the tissue penetrating members; and deformably reconfiguring the tissue fastener from its partially deployed configuration to its fully deployed configuration and releasing the tissue fastener from the tool assembly to securely hold the first and second tissue locations in the approximated configuration, thereby securing the invaginated tissue fold.