Patent ID: 6875171

Claim:
A device for grasping a body tissue, said body tissue defining a tissue contacting portion contactable by said device and an insertable tissue portion at least partially insertabie within said device, said device being fluidly connectable to a vacuum source capable of creating a vacuum therein using a fluid, said device comprising: a tissue-engaging member, said tissue-engaging member including a generally concave-vacuum compartment, said vacuum compartment defining a contacting peripheral edge for at least partially contacting said tissue contacting portion, said vacuum compartment also defining two compartment grasping portions; said vacuum compartment being deformable between a first compartment configuration and a second compartment configuration upon the creation of a vacuum having a threshold pressure value within said vacuum compartment, said compartment grasping portions being closer together when said vacuum compartment is in said second compartment configuration than when said vacuum compartment is in said first compartment configuration; a vacuum compartment-to-vacuum source coupling for allowing fluid coupling of said vacuum compartment to said vacuum source; whereby when said vacuum compartment is in said second compartment configuration, said compartment grasping portions are adapted to provide a pinching action for grasping said insertable tissue portion.