Patent ID: 8685058

Claim:
A surgical method comprising: forming an incision in a layer of organic tissue defining a wall of an organ, said wall separating an inner side of said organ from an outer side of said organ, said incision having a pair of opposing lips or edges; applying at least one first closure element to said lips or edges on said inner side of said wall, said at least one first closure element having jaws connected by a hinge or joint, a tensile element being connected to said at least one first closure element at said hinge or joint, the applying of said at least one first closure element including placing said jaws in contact with said lips or edges on said inner side of said wall; thereafter drawing said at least one first closure element towards said inner side of said wall to approximate said lips or edges to one another on said inner side of said wall and close said incision, the drawing of said at least one first closure element including pulling on said tensile element; after the drawing of said at least one first closure element towards said inner side of said wall and approximating said lips or edges to one another, applying at least one second closure element to said lips or edges on said inner said of said wall; maintaining tension on said tensile element during the applying of said at least one second closure element; and retaining said at least one first closure element attached to said wall on said inner side of said organ to maintain said incision in a closed state.