Surgical stapling system, apparatus and staple

摘要

A surgical stapling system, apparatus and staple wherein a resilient staple has a relaxed closed configuration, is expanded into an open crescent shape, and finally is allowed to return to its closed configuration while simultaneously piercing and drawing together adjacent edges of an open incision or wound. The stapling apparatus contains a plurality of staples and includes projections which engage and secure each staple to the apparatus until its closure to tissue is complete and separation from the apparatus is desired. Further mechanism is provided to control the staple as it closes and optionally to re-open a closed or partially closed staple.