Patent ID: 7410495

Claim:
A medical closure method for internally closing a separation between first and second tissue portions with opposed first and second tissue edges, which method comprises the steps of: providing multiple clips wherein each clip comprises a length of wire bent to form first and second prongs and first and second loops in each clip; interconnecting respective first and second loops of adjacent clips and thereby forming multiple, flexible strands each comprising multiple interconnected clips; maintaining said first prongs of said interconnected clips in a first orientation and maintaining said second prongs of said interconnected clips in a second orientation by said interconnected loops: positioning said multiple strands in generally parallel, juxtaposed relation: forming a flexible screen by providing multiple, flexible filaments, extending said filaments transversely or diagonally across said juxtaposed strands and connecting said filaments to said strands; presenting opposite first and second screen faces and a screen distal edge; extending a first set of clip prongs from said first screen face towards said screen distal edge; extending a second set of clip prongs from said second screen face towards said screen distal edge; forming an acute angle between each said clip prong and a respective screen face: placing said screen in said tissue separation between said opposed tissue edges; penetrating said first tissue edge with said first set of prongs: generally approximating said tissue edges; penetrating said second tissue edge with said second set of prongs; pulling said screen distal edge distally; further embedding said prongs in said tissue edges respectively; and further approximating said tissue edges.