Shape-memory surgical staple apparatus and method for use in surgical suturing

A surgical stapling apparatus for use in applying shape-memory surgical staples of the kind which close when heated sufficiently to reach a temperature equal to or greater than a certain intrinsic transition temperature of the staple material, to thereby draw together and join in intimate contact discrete portions of living tissue, comprising in combination:

• (a) an elongate, hand-held body member;
• (b) jaw means on said body member to engage and hold a surgical staple;
• and
• (c) means to selectively apply heat to said staple to effect closure thereof.

A surgical staple for insertion in and holding together discrete regions of at least one member comprising:

• a first beam made of a material having the property known as shape memory such that said material exists in a first phase at first temperatures below an intrinsic phase-transition temperature, and exists in a second phase at second temperatures above said phase-transition temperature, said shape-memory property being manifested by the ability of said material when inelastically deformed at a temperature below said transition temperature to recover to its undeformed shape upon subsequent heating to a temperature above said transition temperature;
• said beam existing in a closed shape at one of said temperatures for holding together said discrete regions and existing in an open shape at the other of said temperatures, one of said shapes being its deformed shape;
• whereby when during use said staple is positioned extending between, and in contact with, said discrete regions in one of said shapes, said staple is caused to recover to the other of said shapes, upon heating of said staple to a temperature above said transition temperature wherein said staple is generally nail-shaped, and comprises:
• an enlarged heat portion at one end of said beam, and a generally pointed tip portion at the other end of said beam.

A surgical staple for insertion in and holding together discrete regions of at least one member comprising:

• a first beam made of a material having the property known as shape memory such that said material exists in a first phase at first temperature below an intrinsic phase-transition temperature, and exists in a second phase at second temperatures above said phase-transition temperature, said shape-memory property being manifested by the ability of said material when inelastically deformed at a temperature below said transition temperature to recover to its undeformed shape upon subsequent heating to a temperature above said transition temperature;
• said beam existing in a closed shape at one of said temperatures for holding together said discrete regions and existing in an open shape at the other of said temperatures, one of said shapes being its deformed shape;
• whereby when during use said staple is positioned extending between, and in contact with, said discrete regions in one of said shapes, said staple is caused to recover to the other of said shapes, upoon heating of said staple to a temperature above said transition temperature, and
• further including a second beam made of said shape-memory material, said first and second beams being integrally joined.