Surgical fastener applier with rotatable front housing and laterally extending curved needle for guiding a flexible pusher

摘要

A device is provided for applying flexible fasteners to tissue to close a wound or incision. The device has a front housing mounted for rotation relative to a rear housing. A needle projects laterally from the front housing. The needle is curved, hollow, and slotted for receiving a portion of a fastener. The device has a flexible pusher member and means for moving the flexible pusher member into the hollow needle to eject a fastener from the needle and into the tissue.