Surgical instrument having a fastener delivery mechanism

Abstract

A delivery device for delivering a plurality of individual surgical fasteners. The delivery device includes a drive mechanism having distal and proximal ends. The drive mechanism has a moving member and a fixed opposing member, wherein the moving member is moveable proximally and distally with respect to the delivery device. The moving member has a sharpened distal end for piercing tissue. The device includes at least one surgical fastener located between the first and the second members. Each of the at least one surgical fasteners has a proximal end and a distal end. The device also has an actuator having at least two sequential positions. A first position for moving the moving member distally and piercing tissue, and a second position for moving the moving member proximally, thereby deploying the distal end of the fastener.

1 - 29 . (canceled) 
   
   
       30 . A method for delivering a plurality of fasteners, comprising:
 disposing a plurality of fasteners within a delivery device;   engaging a proximal end of a first fastener with an engaging member;   at least partially disposing the first fastener within at least one penetrating member having a sharp end;   penetrating tissue with the least one penetrating member;   moving the engaging member from a first position to a second position;   releasing the first fastener from the delivery device;   retracting the engaging member from the second position to the first position; and   engaging the proximal end of the next fastener of the plurality of fasteners with the engaging member.   
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the penetrating step and the moving step are performed simultaneously. 
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the penetrating member is at least partially hollow. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the penetrating member is configured to at least partially receive each fastener of the plurality of fasteners sequentially. 
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein each of the plurality of fasteners has a dull distal end. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the releasing step comprises moving the engaging member to a second position, distal to the first position. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the engaging step comprises engaging the proximal end of the distal-most fastener with an engaging member when the engaging member is at a first position. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the engaging step comprises the step of engaging the proximal end of the distal-most fastener at more than one surface of the distal-most fastener. 
   
   
       38 . The method of  claim 30 , wherein the delivery device comprises an actuator having at least two sequential positions, and wherein the moving step comprises actuating the actuator to move from a first position to a second position to cause the moving member to move from a distal position to a proximal position relative to the handle.