Importance

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Abstract

A ligator assembly comprising a hollow, two-piece, bullet-shaped case dimensioned to be inserted in and through a body member, a pair of suture needles carried by the case, and a suture affixed to the needles. The case is provided with a pair of guide tubes for retaining the needles and guiding them out through a substantially transverse slot at the end of the case. A drive mechanism is also provided for remotely driving the needles longitudinally out of the case through the slot. The case is selectively connectable to an elongated tubular operator for placement of the ligator assembly. Apparatus for effecting an anastomosis comprises female and male connector components usable with an operator, an inflatable anvil assembly, and a connector actuator and which include mutually facing clamping surfaces for clamping generally annular tissue portions of the first and second body members together. The female connector component includes a plurality of resilient legs having bores extending therethrough. The legs are movable between a retracted position when the inflatable anvil is contracted and a distended position when the anvil is expanded. The male connector component is received by the connector actuator and includes a plurality of posts for piercing the annular tissue portions in response to actuation of the connector actuator and for matingly engaging the bores in the female connector component when the legs are in the distended position.

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First Claim