Endovascular stapler

An endovascular stapler for securing an endograft to a vessel comprising:

• a trigger housing comprising a trigger mechanism within said housing;
• a staple housing having a proximal end and a distal end, said staple housing coupled at said proximal end of said staple housing to said trigger housing, said staple housing adapted to store a staple, said staple housing having a staple exit area formed therein near said distal end thereof;
• a balloon exterior to said staple housing near said distal end thereof, said balloon adapted to be selectively inflated and deflated to push said staple exit area against the endograft;
• wherein said trigger mechanism may be actuated to drive a staple from said staple housing through said staple exit area into the endograft and the vessel.

An endovascular stapler for securing an endograft to a vessel comprising:

• a trigger housing comprising a trigger mechanism;
• a staple housing having a proximal end at said trigger housing and a distal end remote from said trigger housing, said staple housing comprising a staple channel adapted to store a plurality of staples in tandem, said staple channel extending from said proximal end of said staple housing to a staple exit area near said distal end of said staple housing;
• and,
• a pusher extending into said staple channel from within said trigger housing;
• wherein said pusher is adapted to advance through said staple channel upon actuation of said trigger mechanism to advance the plurality of staples stored in tandem in said staple channel such that a first staple may be discharged through said staple exit area.

A stapler for stapling a vessel:

• a trigger housing having an internal cavity;
• a trigger mechanism extending from within said internal cavity of said trigger housing;
• an elongate staple housing extending from said trigger housing to a staple exit area formed in said elongate staple housing, said elongate staple housing adapted to store at least one staple;
• a pusher having a leading portion within said staple housing and a trailing portion within said internal cavity of said trigger housing, said pusher having an inclined surface at its leading end;
• an actuator having an inclined surface disposed adjacent to said inclined surface of said pusher;
• a staple detente mounted within said staple housing between said actuator and said staple exit area;
• wherein actuation of said trigger advances said leading portion of said pusher such that said inclined surface of said pusher interacts with said inclined surface of said actuator to force said actuator toward said staple exit area thereby deforming said at least one staple by engagement with said staple detente prior to discharging said at least one staple from said staple exit area.

An endovascular stapler for connecting a stent graft to a vessel comprising:

• a trigger housing having an elongate staple housing extending therefrom, said elongate staple housing having a staple exit area adapted to be inserted into a vessel, said elongate staple housing adapted to store a staple;
• a pusher extending within said staple housing from said trigger housing;
• a trigger mechanism within said housing, said trigger mechanism adapted to advance said pusher within said staple housing to push a staple stored in said elongate staple housing through said staple exit area to connect the stent graft to the vessel;
• and,
• a balloon adjacent said staple housing, said balloon inflatable to force said staple exit area against the stent graft.

A method of repairing an endograft in a vessel with an endovascular stapler having a distal end forming a staple exit area, a trigger for deploying staples, and a balloon near the staple exit area, said method comprising:

• inserting the distal end of the endovascular stapler into the endograft;
• inflating the balloon to push the staple exit area against the endograft;
• and,
• deploying a staple from the staple exit area into the endograft and the vessel.

A method of performing surgery on a vessel having an endograft therein, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of staplers, each stapler having a stapler housing storing a staple and a balloon capable of being inflated and deflated;
• inserting the stapler housing of the first of said plurality of staplers into said endograft;
• inflating the balloon of said first of said plurality of staplers so as to push the stapler housing against the endograft;
• advancing the first staple from within the stapler housing such that the first staple pierces the endograft and the vessel wall.

An endovascular stapler for securing an endograft to a vessel comprising:

• a staple housing adapted for storing a plurality of staples therein, said staple housing having a plurality of exit areas for discharge of said plurality of staples therethrough;
• an actuating assembly adapted for discharging said plurality of staples through said plurality of exit areas, said actuating assembly comprising a plurality of staple pushers adapted to advance said plurality of staples through said plurality of exit areas and a trigger adapted to advance said plurality of staple pushers;
• and,
• a displacement mechanism in operative association with said staple housing near said exit areas, said displacement member operative for pushing said exit areas against said endograft when discharging said plurality of staples therethrough.