The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 20, 2001
Filed:
Jul. 02, 1997
David T. Green, Westport, CT (US);
Robert J. Geiste, Milford, CT (US);
Wayne C. Person, Newtown, CT (US);
United States Surgical Corporation, Norwalk, CT (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for inserting a staple into torn tissue such as the meniscus of the knee. The apparatus includes a pair of shafts individually movable in a longitudinal directing which are actuable from a handle mechanism. The shafts are movable sequentially so that the shafts disjunctively advance the prongs of the staple which is releasably held adjacent distal end portions of the shafts. A further embodiment of the device consists of a pair of needles detachably secured to a pair of anchoring members having a plurality of barb-like projections extending outwardly therefrom. The anchoring members are joined by a suture which connects adjacent the trailing ends of the anchoring members opposite the penetration end of the needles. The needles are engaged with the anchoring members to transmit a first pushing force applied to the needles to advance the anchoring members into the tissue, and are releasable from their engagement with the anchoring members responsive to a second pulling force applied to the needles in a direction opposite the pushing direction.