Flexible endoscopic surgical instrument for invagination and fundoplication

Abstract

An endoscopic surgical instrument includes a flexible tube, a grasping and fastening end effector coupled to the distal end of the tube, and a manual actuator coupled to the proximal end of the tube. The manual actuator is coupled to the end effector by a plurality of flexible cables which extend through the tube. The tube contains a lumen for receiving a manipulable endoscope and the end effector includes a passage for the distal end of the endoscope. The end effector has a store for a plurality of male fastener parts, a store for a plurality of female fastener parts, a rotatable grasper, a rotatable fastener head for aligning a female fastener part and a male fastener part with tissues therebetween, and a firing member for pressing a male fastener part through tissues grasped by the grasper and into a female fastener part. According to a presently preferred embodiment, the overall diameters of the flexible tube and the end effector (when rotated to the open position) do not exceed approximately 20 mm so that the instrument may be delivered transorally to the fundus of the stomach. The manual actuator is provided with a lock-out feature which prevents firing male fastener parts before the fastener head is closed. The instrument is advantageously utilized in a fundoplication procedure.