Patent ID: 8343175

Claim:
An endoscopic apparatus, comprising: an elongate endoscopic device having a lumen within an overtube; an end effector at a distal end of the endoscopic device having at least one opening connecting into the lumen, whereby when a suction source is coupled to the endoscopic device a suction is created in the opening to draw a portion of tissue wall into the opening; a needle slidable within the endoscopic device by pushing or pulling on a proximal end of the needle for moving the needle from a retracted position in which a distal end of the needle is withdrawn from the opening, to an extended position in which the distal end of the needle extends at least partway across the opening, whereby the needle can be extended into the portion of tissue wall drawn into the opening; and an anchor assembly comprising a distal anchor, a proximal anchor, and a connector, with at least one of the proximal anchor and the distal anchor having a through-passage of a size to accommodate the needle such that the at least one of the proximal anchor and the distal anchor is disposed substantially concentrically on an exterior surface of the needle.