Patent ID: 7699871

Claim:
A surgical instrument for applying a fastener to tissue of a patient, said fastener comprising a male component including a base having at least one hole therein, a needle slideably receivable in the hole, and a female component including a base and a recess for receiving a leading end of said needle of the male component, said instrument comprising: an elongate shaft having a working end and a grip end opposite said working end; a stationary jaw statically mounted on the working end of the shaft including a receiver for holding one of said male component and said female component; a pivoting jaw mounted on the working end of the elongate shaft adjacent the stationary jaw including a receiver for releasably holding another of said male component and said female component, said pivoting jaw selectively pivoting between an open position in which tissue can be received between the jaws and a closed position in which the hole of the male component is aligned with the recess of said female component; wherein at least one of said stationary jaw and said pivoting jaw includes an ejector for driving the needle through the hole in the male component base, through tissue between the jaws, and into the recess of said female component.