Absorbable fastener and applying apparatus

Abstract

A surgical fastener apparatus, for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue including a pair of anchors each having retaining means formed on an outer surface thereof; and a suture tether interconnecting the pair of anchors to one another. The pair of anchors having a substantially cylindrical body having a conically tapered distal end and a planar proximal end. The retaining means includes a series of semi-circular angled projections having a planar proximal surface and a tapered distal end, wherein a center of each of the angled projections is spaced a distance from a longitudinal central axis of the body portion. The surgical fastener is made from a bioabsorbable material which reabsorbs into said body tissue at an appropriate rate, such as for example, polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid.

1 . A system for applying a surgical mesh material to a hernial repair site during a hernia repair procedure, the system comprising:
 a fastener applying device for firing a plurality of surgical fasteners; the fastener applying device including:
 a handle mechanism; 
 an elongated body portion extending from the handle mechanism; 
 a series of surgical fasteners supported within the elongated body portion in tip-to-tail fashion, each surgical fastener including:
 a pair of anchors with each anchor defining a longitudinal central axis and having retaining means formed on an outer surface thereof, the respective retaining means each defining a common central axis spaced a distance from the longitudinal central axis; and 
 a flexible joining member interconnecting said pair of anchors to one another, wherein the pair of anchors are oriented with respect to one another such that the common central axes of the retaining means are disposed outward of the longitudinal central axes; and 
 
 a firing bar having first and second tabs extending from a distal end thereof such that a longitudinal axis of each tab is axially aligned with the common central axis of a respective anchor of the pair of anchors, the firing bar being operatively connected to the handle mechanism and being movable to move the first and second tabs into engagement with the pair of anchors of a distal-most surgical fastener of the series of surgical fasteners to eject the distal-most surgical fastener from a distal end of the elongated body portion into the hernial repair site. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system according to  claim 1 , wherein each of said pair of anchors include a substantially cylindrical body portion having a conically tapered distal end and a substantially planar proximal end. 
     
     
         3 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said retaining means includes a series of angled projections having a tapered distal end and a proximal surface that is angled with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the common central axis of said series of angled projections, for each anchor, is spaced a radial distance from the longitudinal central axis of said respective anchor; and 
     
     
         4 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein the flexible joining member is a suture tether. 
     
     
         5 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the series of angled projections, for each anchor, is semi-circular. 
     
     
         6 . The system according to  claim 3 , wherein the proximal surface of each angled projection of each anchor is angled in such a manner so as to define a partial thread on each anchor. 
     
     
         7 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said flexible joining member is operatively coupled to said substantially planar proximal end of each of said pair of anchors. 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of anchors has a length of approximately 3 mm from a distal tip of said tapered distal end to said planar proximal end. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said pair of anchors are made from a bioabsorbable material. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 9 , wherein said bioabsorbable material is selected from a material which reabsorbs into said body tissue at an appropriate rate. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said bioabsorbable material is selected from the group consisting of polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein said pair of anchors and said flexible joining member are dimensioned to be partially absorbed into said body tissue for at least a period of approximately 2 to 3 weeks immediately after implanting and are fully absorbed into said body tissue at any time thereafter. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein each of said pair of anchors has a length of approximately 3 mm from a distal tip of said tapered distal end to said planar proximal end. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 13 , wherein each of said pair of anchors has a diameter of approximately 1.5 mm. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 2 , wherein said flexible joining member is made from a bioabsorbable material. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 15 , wherein said bioabsorbable material is selected from the group consisting of polyglycolic acid and polylactic acid.