Patent ID: 8333775

Claim:
A method for inserting an elongated gastric strap via minimally invasive surgery into a patient's body and for tightening the gastric strap around a patient's stomach, the method comprising: providing an elongated strap comprising a buckle end and a distal end, said buckle end comprising a pull tab; providing an elongated shaft extending along a longitudinal axis, wherein said elongated shaft comprises a handle attached to a proximal end of said elongated shaft and an end assembly attached to a distal end of said elongated shaft, and wherein said end assembly comprises a flat member having a first end attached to said distal end of said elongated shaft, a rounded cone-shaped nose extending from a second end of said flat member, and a movable jaw articulately connected to said second end of said flat member; engaging a hole in said pull tab with said end assembly and securely capturing said pull tab; inserting said elongated shaft with the captured elongated strap into the patient's body; and pushing said pull tab and thereby said elongated strap through into the patient's body.