SUTURE SPRING DEVICE

摘要

A guide (24) is used to position a suture spring device (20) in anatomical tissue in an elastically deformed, expanded state and is subsequently removed to permit the suture spring device to move from the elastically deformed, expanded state toward a relaxed, contracted state to apply a predetermined compression to the tissue engaged by the device. In one embodiment, the guide includes a hollow, tubular body (36) of coiled configuration defining a plurality of connected coils or rings with a predetermined radius of curvature and a predetermined axial spacing therebetween. The suture spring device includes an elastic body which is of coiled configuration in the contracted state to define a single ring, a portion of a ring or a plurality of connected rings (38) having a radius of curvature and/or axial spacing in the relaxed, contracted state which is smaller than the predetermined radius of curvature and/or axial spacing of the guide so that, when the suture spring device is disposed within the guide, it is maintained in an elastically deformed, expanded state for positioning in anatomical tissue.