Anvilless surgical apparatus for applying surgical fasteners.

摘要

An anvilless surgical apparatus 20 is provided for applying surgical fasteners to secure grafting material to a desired layer of tissue. The apparatus includes a housing having a nose portion 24 at a distal end and a handle 22 at its proximal end. A surgical fastener cartridge 26 is mounted in the nose portion and is adapted to receive a plurality of surgical fasteners 116 in longitudinal alignment therein. The cartridge is generally oriented substantially perpendicular to the handle. A drive shaft 82 is provided within the housing for driving th surgical fasteners through the grafting material and at least partially into the layer of underlying tissue. The drive shaft is actuable by the handle and has a pusher rod movable between a distal fired postion and a retracted proximal loaded postion. A releasing mechanism 70, 90 is provided in the handle for releasing the pusher rod from its retracted proximal position to cause it to thrust forward with sufficient force to contact a crown portion of a surgical fastener to drive id directly through the grafting material and at least partially into the tissue without forming a surgical fastener. <IMAGE>