Abstract: A surgical fastener includes a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of the first leg, the first insertion tip having a first distal piercing point, and a second leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of the second leg, the second insertion tip having a second distal piercing point. A bridge connects the first and second legs. The first and second distal piercing points are located outside the respective first and second legs. The first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and the first and second insertion tips are asymmetrical and skewed outwardly relative to said respective longitudinal axes of the first and second legs.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing and a curved shaft. Surgical fasteners are disposed within the curved shaft for being dispensed from the distal end of the curved shaft. An advancer is disposed inside the curved shaft for shifting the surgical fasteners one position closer to the distal end of the curved shaft each time the advancer moves distally. A firing element is disposed inside the curved shaft and is movable between the proximal and distal ends of the curved shaft for dispensing the surgical fasteners from the distal end of the curved shaft. A staging assembly is adapted to receive a leading one of the surgical fasteners from the advancer as the advancer moves distally to shift the leading surgical fastener into substantial alignment with the firing element when the advancer moves proximally.

Abstract: A method of securing a prosthetic device to tissue includes providing an applicator instrument including a housing, a shaft, surgical fasteners, a firing rod for dispensing the surgical fasteners from the shaft, a trigger, and an energy storing element. The method includes positioning a prosthetic device over tissue, juxtaposing a distal end of the shaft with the prosthetic device, and compressing the trigger for piloting the firing rod toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a first rate of speed. The method includes preventing the firing rod from moving distally while building up energy in the energy storing element, and further compressing the trigger for releasing the firing rod for distal movement and transferring the built up energy for moving the firing rod toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a second rate of speed that is greater than the first rate of speed.

Abstract: A surgical fastener for securing a prosthetic device to tissue includes a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of the first leg, and a second leg including a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of the second leg. A bridge connects the proximal ends of the first and second legs for forming a closed end of the surgical fastener. The first insertion tip has a first insertion tool seating surface, and the second insertion tip has a second insertion tool seating surface. The first insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of the first leg than the proximal end of the first leg, and the second insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of the second leg than the proximal end of the second leg. The first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and the first and second insertion tips are skewed outwardly relative to the respective longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A tissue anchor comprising a body having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end with one set of dimensions and a projected surface area, a distal end with a second set of dimensions and a projected surface area where the respective dimensions of the first and second ends are not identical and the projected areas are substantially the same. The tissue anchor may further have a fixing member to attach the anchor and one or more tissues together or to attach the other structures to tissue.

Abstract: A device dispenses surgical fasteners inside a body and generates marks outside the body indicating where the surgical fasteners have been dispensed inside the body. The device includes a first member having a surgical fastener dispenser opening, and a second member coupled with the first member, the second member having a distal end that opposes the surgical fastener dispenser opening. The device includes a marking assembly secured to the distal end of the second member. The marking assembly is moveable away from and toward the surgical fastener dispenser opening. The marking assembly is adapted for generating marks on an external surface that mirror the location of each surgical fastener dispensed from the surgical fastener dispenser opening. The device may include a clamp for compressing tissue between the marking assembly and the surgical fastener dispenser.

Abstract: A firing system for an applicator instrument adapted to dispense surgical fasteners includes a housing, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, a firing rod disposed within the elongated shaft, a firing rod release engageable with the firing rod for preventing distal movement of the firing rod during at least one stage of a firing cycle, a trigger mounted to the housing, and a firing spring having a first end connected with the firing rod and a second end adapted for being sequentially coupled and decoupled from the trigger during the firing cycle. The firing cycle includes an initial stage in which the trigger is open and decoupled from the energy storing element, and the firing spring is at least partially compressed, and a piloting stage during which the firing rod release is disengaged from the firing rod for enabling distal movement of the firing rod.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft having a proximal end coupled with the housing and a distal end remote therefrom, and a firing system for dispensing surgical fasteners from the distal end of the elongated shaft. The firing system includes a firing rod disposed in the elongated shaft, the firing system having a firing cycle with a first stage for advancing the firing rod toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a first rate of speed and a second stage for advancing the firing rod toward the distal end of the elongated shaft at a second rate of speed that is greater than the first rate of speed.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, a firing system disposed in the housing, an actuator coupled with the housing for actuating the firing system, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft having an outer diameter, and a cap secured to the distal end of the elongated shaft, whereby the cap has a lower distal edge that extends laterally beyond the outer diameter of the elongated shaft. The lower distal edge of the cap has a length that is greater than the outer diameter of the elongated shaft. The cap has a distal end face that slopes upwardly and proximally from the lower distal edge, and the cap has a surgical fastener delivery window formed in the distal end face for dispensing surgical fasteners. The delivery window has a lower end that is spaced from the lower distal edge.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, a firing system disposed in the housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis, and an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft having a proximal section and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section. A plurality of surgical fasteners are disposed in the elongated shaft. The applicator instrument has a handle that extends upwardly from the housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with the first axis. A trigger is mounted on the handle, and a linkage couples the trigger with the handle and the firing system. When the trigger is squeezed, the linkage guides the trigger along a linear path of movement relative to the handle.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing, an elongated shaft extending from the housing, a firing rod disposed inside the elongated shaft and being movable within a first plane between a retracted position and an extended position, an advancer disposed inside the elongated shaft and being moveable within a second plane between a retracted position and an extended position, and a staging assembly located adjacent the distal end of the elongated shaft and being adapted to align surgical fasteners with a distal end of the firing rod. The staging assembly is held below the second plane by the advancer when the advancer is in the extended position and the staging assembly is adapted to move into at least partial alignment with the distal end of the firing rod when the advancer is in the retracted position.

Abstract: A clamping device for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a lower arm having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends, and an upper arm pivotally connected with the lower arm. An actuator is coupled with the upper and lower arms for moving the distal ends of the arms toward one another for closing the clamping device. A surgical fastener dispenser is secured to the distal end of the lower arm. The dispenser includes a cartridge body having a top surface with a surgical fastener dispenser opening. A pad is pivotally connected to the distal end of the upper arm. When the clamping device is closed, a bottom surface of the pad applies a clamping force upon the top surface of the cartridge body for dispensing one of the surgical fasteners at an angle that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing defining a bottom of the applicator instrument, a firing system disposed in the housing and being moveable in distal and proximal directions along a first axis, a handle extending upwardly from the housing along a second axis that defines an acute angle with the first axis, the handle having an upper end that defines a top of the applicator instrument, and a trigger mounted on the handle for actuating the firing system. The applicator instrument includes an elongated shaft extending from the housing, the elongated shaft having a proximal section that extends along the first axis and a distal section that is oriented at an angle relative to the proximal section for extending upwardly toward the top of the application instrument. A distal end cap has a proximally sloping distal face and a dispensing window for dispensing surgical fasteners.

Abstract: A surgical morcellator includes a trocar body portion and a handle portion detachably mounted to the trocar body portion. The trocar body portion is relatively lightweight and may be used separately from the handle portion with other laparoscopic instruments while morcellation is not required during the surgical procedure.

Abstract: An applicator instrument for dispensing surgical fasteners includes a housing and a curved shaft. Surgical fasteners are disposed within the curved shaft for being dispensed from the distal end of the curved shaft. An advancer is disposed inside the curved shaft for shifting the surgical fasteners one position closer to the distal end of the curved shaft each time the advancer moves distally. A firing element is disposed inside the curved shaft and is movable between the proximal and distal ends of the curved shaft for dispensing the surgical fasteners from the distal end of the curved shaft. A staging assembly is adapted to receive a leading one of the surgical fasteners from the advancer as the advancer moves distally to shift the leading surgical fastener into substantial alignment with the firing element when the advancer moves proximally.

Abstract: A surgical fastener for securing a prosthetic device to tissue includes a first leg having a distal end, a proximal end, and a first insertion tip at the distal end of the first leg, and a second leg including a distal end, a proximal end, and a second insertion tip at the distal end of the second leg. A bridge connects the proximal ends of the first and second legs for forming a closed end of the surgical fastener. The first insertion tip has a first insertion tool seating surface, and the second insertion tip has a second insertion tool seating surface. The first insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of the first leg than the proximal end of the first leg, and the second insertion tool seating surface is closer to the distal end of the second leg than the proximal end of the second leg. The first and second legs extend along respective longitudinal axes, and the first and second insertion tips are skewed outwardly relative to the respective longitudinal axes.

Abstract: A surgical scalpel includes an elongate handle defining a longitudinal axis and having a proximal end and a distal end. The scalpel has a cartridge removably mounted to the handle that has a blade holder with a proximal end and a distal end. There is a blade fixedly attached to blade holder disposed so that the blade projects distally outwardly when the cartridge is mounted on the handle. The cartridge also has a shield with a proximal end, a distal end and a bottom mounted onto the blade holder. The shield is slidably movable between a distal position where the shield substantially prevents inadvertent access to the blade and a proximal position where the shield substantially surrounds a portion of the handle and the blade is exposed for use. The cartridge is releasably mountable to the handle and has elements for substantially preventing movement of the shield with respect to the blade holder unless the cartridge is mounted on the handle.