TISSUE CONVEYOR FOR USE IN GASTRIC REDUCTION SURGERY AND ASSOCIATED METHOD FOR USE

摘要

A tissue conveyor (24) includes a conveyor body (25) having a proximal end (28) and a distal end (30). The proximal end includes a handle (32) allowing for operator control of an end effector (34) located at the distal end. The end effector includes a grasper assembly (38) composed of a first jaw bar (40) and a second jaw bar (42) connected by a support base (44) to define a cavity into which tissue is drawn. A first conveyor member (62) is positioned upon the first jaw bar for movement along an internal surface of the first jaw bar and a second conveyor member (64) is positioned upon the second jaw bar for movement along an internal surface of the second jaw bar. The method for creating a tissue fold includes positioning a tissue conveyor adjacent tissue, pushing the respective first jaw bar and the second jaw bar into the tissue in the area where a fold is desired, and pulling the first conveyor member and the second conveyor member proximally to draw the first and second conveyor members and tissue into a cavity defined by the first jaw bar and the second jaw bar to create a tissue fold.