Patent ID: 8900164

Claim:
An apparatus to determine an optimal amount of strain on tissue to apply a surgical element, the apparatus comprising: a first caliper arm; a second caliper arm; a body connected to the first caliper arm and the second caliper arm, the first caliper arm and the second caliper arm defining a gap; a threaded arm connected to the first and second caliper arms configured to rotate to draw the first caliper arm towards the second caliper arm; and an indicator supported on the apparatus adapted to visually indicate a thickness of tissue disposed between the first and second caliper arms; wherein the first caliper arm is movable in a direction toward the second caliper arm to measure an initial tissue thickness in the gap, wherein the first caliper arm and the second caliper arm can further move toward one another to apply a load to the tissue to compress the tissue to a predetermined tissue thickness, and wherein the predetermined tissue thickness corresponds to the optimal amount of strain on the tissue suitable to apply the surgical element into tissue.