Patent ID: 7500980

Claim:
A method for effecting the anastomosis of a patient's bladder comprising a bladder wall defining a bladder lumen and a bladder opening, and the patient's urethra, surrounded by the patient's pelvic floor, following a prostatectomy, wherein the bladder wall comprises an inner surface defining the bladder lumen, an outer surface, and a side surface defining the bladder opening, the side surface extending between the inner surface and the outer surface, the method comprising the steps of: inserting an instrument having a longitudinal axis, a positioner and an anchor driver, into the bladder lumen, until said positioner and said anchor driver are inside the bladder lumen; causing said positioner to extend a positioner member transversely with respect to said longitudinal axis, within the bladder lumen; bringing said positioner member into contact with the inner surface of the bladder wall inside the bladder lumen, and causing said positioner member to urge the outer surface of the bladder wall proximate to the bladder opening into proximity with the pelvic floor, with the bladder opening and the urethra substantially aligned; and causing said anchor driver to drive an anchor, having thereon a lodging structure, from inside the bladder lumen, through the inner and outer surfaces of the bladder wall and into the pelvic floor proximate to the urethra, lodging said anchor in the pelvic floor, and releasing said anchor from said anchor driver.