Patent ID: 7850714

Claim:
An apparatus for insertion into a body orifice for anchoring a first body tissue layer to a second body tissue layer comprising: a plurality of individual substantially rigid anchor segments for placement in a body cavity, said anchor segments having a first relaxed state wherein said segments are movable relative to each other and alignable along a common initial longitudinal axis for initial placement of said apparatus through the body tissue layers, said anchor segments having a second rigid state wherein said segments assume a rigid end-to-end abutting configuration relative to each other along a final common longitudinal axis and at a transverse angle relative to said initial longitudinal axis; and an actuator connected to said anchor segments and configured to extend through the tissue layers to an external location, said actuator externally manipulated to configure said anchor segments between said first relaxed state and said second rigid state wherein said anchor segments are drawn together in said abutting relationship along said final common longitudinal axis; wherein said plurality of individual substantially rigid anchor segments comprises at least two anchor segments and a center anchor segment, one of said at least two anchor segments extending in a first transverse direction from said center anchor segment, and the other of said at least two anchor segments extending in a second opposite transverse direction from said center anchor segment; and wherein the actuator comprises a filament associated with each said anchor segment extending in each transverse direction and terminating at the distal end of each anchor segment.