Laparoscopic medical device assembly with detachable end effector, and method of using same

An end effector for use with a laparoscopic tool as part of a laparoscopic medical device assembly, the end effector comprising:

• a base that is too large to be received in a sheath of the laparoscopic tool;
• a first arm and a second arm pivotally attached to the base and being movable between a first shape and a second shape;
• a biasing element operably positioned to bias the first arm and the second arm toward the second shape;
• a actuator rod slidably received through the base with a distal end positioned between the first arm and the second arm, and having a knob attached to a proximal end of the actuator rod;
• the knob being a first distance from the base when the first arm and the second arm are in the second shape, and the knob being greater than the first distance from the base when the first arm and the second arm are in the first shape.

A method of using a laparoscopic medical device assembly that includes a laparoscopic tool with a handle actuator coupled to slide a deployment/capture device within and relative to a sheath;

• and an end effector with a knob attached to a proximal end of an actuator rod extending through a base, and including a pair of arms pivotally attached to the base and being movable between a first shape and a second shape, the method comprising the steps of:
• moving the laparoscopic medical device assembly in a capture/unactuated configuration at a first location to a second location with the laparoscopic medical device assembly in a capture/actuated position;
• changing the laparoscopic medical device assembly from the capture/actuated configuration to a release configuration at the second location;
• moving the laparoscopic tool away from the end effector;
• capturing the knob with the deployment/capture device at least in part by moving the laparoscopic tool back into contact with the end effector and changing from the release configuration to the capture/unactuated configuration;
• and
• changing from the capture/unactuated configuration to the capture/actuated configuration, and then moving the laparoscopic medical device assembly to a third location.