Importance

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Abstract

A surgical instrument and method for joining internal body tissue are disclosed. In the preferred embodiment the instrument staples a hernial opening in internal body tissues of a patient comprises an elongate staple cartridge rotatably mounted to an elongate frame at a distal end thereof and an elongate staple forming plate movably mounted to the frame for ejecting a staple from the cartridge into the body tissues of the patient and deforming the staple from an open position to a closed position in which the staple holds together two pieces of body tissue on opposite sides of the hernial opening. The instrument further includes a rotator assembly operatively connected to the cartridge for rotating the cartridge from an orientation aligned with the frame means to a staple ejection orientation transverse to the frame. A tissue positioning assembly separate from the staple forming plate is provided for gripping, approximating and temporarily holding together in a stapling position the two pieces of body tissue prior to and during a stapling operation.

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First Claim