US 7,559,937 B2
Surgical fastener apparatus and reinforcing material
Roger A. de la Torre, Wentzville, Mo. (US); and Matthew P. LaConte, Maryland Heights, Mo. (US)
Assigned to TowerTech Research Group, Wentzville, Mo. (US)
Filed on Aug. 09, 2005, as Appl. No. 11/199,733.
Prior Publication US 2007/0034669 A1, Feb. 15, 2007
Int. Cl. A61B 17/10 (2006.01); A61B 17/04 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 606—142  [606/151; 606/219; 606/75; 227/176.1; 227/179.1; 227/180.1; 227/178.1; 227/19] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A surgical fastener dispensing apparatus comprising:
a surgical fastener dispensing member on the apparatus that is operative to dispense at least one surgical fastener;
a surgical fastener receiving member on the apparatus that is positioned opposite the surgical fastener dispensing member and is operative to receive a surgical fastener dispensed from the surgical fastener dispensing member and to alter the surgical fastener received;
a reinforcement material holder on the apparatus that is positioned between the surgical fastener dispensing member and the surgical fastener receiving member;
reinforcement material that is removably mounted on the reinforcement material holder and is positioned between the surgical fastener dispensing member and the surgical fastener receiving member;
the reinforcement material holder having a pair of arms that are positioned at opposite sides of the surgical fastener receiving member for removably holding the reinforcement material on the pair of arms extending across the surgical fastener receiving member;
the reinforcement material having opposite side edges;
the pair of arms being removably attachable to the opposite side edges of the reinforcement material;
the pair of arms being a pair of elongate, narrow rods with one end of each rod being connected to the apparatus by a pivot connection for movement of each rod relative to the apparatus; and,
the reinforcement material having a pair of openings that receive the pair of rods inserted into the openings in removably holding the reinforcement material on the pair of arms.