Importance

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Abstract

A surgical clamping device comprises a first jaw and a second jaw, with a self-locking surgical fastener mountable thereon. The jaws have at least a first closing configuration and a second closing configuration, the first closing configuration designed to reduce a lateral dimension of a clamping device with mounted fastener, without thereby engaging locking devices on the selflocking surgical fastener, the second closing configuration designed to cause an engagement of the self-locking devices, thereby allowing a demounting of the fastener and a permanent disposition thereof in tissue. In a first closing configuration an approximation of the jaws in a transverse plane thereof is accompanied by an out-of-plane movement, comprising translation, or rotation about an axis in the plane, the rotation in turn comprising twisting--rotation about an axis essentially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the jaws, or skewing--rotation about an axis essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the jaws. An alternative engagement of the first closing configuration and the second closing configuration is effected by a ratcheting device in conjunction with a camming device, or any means of actuation known in the mechanical arts.

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First Claim