Device for delivery of surgical patches during minimally invasive surgery

A device for introducing a self-adhesive surgical patch during minimally invasive surgery, said device comprising a flexible base, said base comprising a frame (100) which, when no pressure is applied, is in an essentially planar open configuration of dimensions sufficiently large to support said surgical patch, and which upon exertion of pressure in said plane is compressed to a linear closed configuration, said linear closed configuration being of dimensions sufficiently small to enable insertion into a tubular member designed for use in minimally-invasive surgery, and which upon release of said pressure at least partially re-opens toward said open configuration, wherein said frame comprises:

• a lower portion (500);
• an upper portion (510) of shape and dimensions substantially identical to those of said lower portion;
• a hinge element (520) providing a hinge connection between said lower portion and said upper portion such that rotation about said hinge connection brings said frame into a closed-jaw configuration in which said lower portion lies atop said upper portion and said upper portion and said lower portion and are substantially congruent with one another;
• a mechanism for reversibly locking said lower portion and said upper portion together;
• tongues (560) on two opposing sides of said upper portion;
• and,
• grooves (550) on two opposing sides of said lower portion, said grooves of dimensions to allow each tongue to be inserted into a matching groove, and positioned such that when said frame is in said closed-jaw configuration, each of said tongues engages a matching groove.