Surgical subcuticular fastener system

A surgical clip applicator for applying surgical clips having arms each with a prong, the applicator comprising:

• a fixed handle;
• a movable applicator lever mounted on the fixed handle for motion with respect thereto;
• an applicator nose mounted to the fixed handle for storing a plurality of the clips and for positioning an open clip at the distal end of the applicator nose;
• spreader pins located proximate the applicator nose and coupled to the movable applicator lever, whereby motion is transferred from the applicator level to the spreader pins as the lever is moved into the handle;
• and whereby the spreader pins first apply pressure on the arms to spread apart the prongs of the clip and subsequently release the pressure on the arms to allow the prongs to approach each other;
• and
• squeezer jaws located proximate the applicator nose and coupled to the movable applicator lever, whereby motion is transferred from the applicator lever to the squeezer jaws as the lever is moved into the handle;
• whereby the squeezer jaws first open to allow the prongs to be spread apart by the spreader pins and subsequently close to apply pressure on the arms to bring the prongs of the clip together after the spreader pins release the pressure on the arms to allow the prongs to approach each other.

A method for surgically fastening tissue, comprising:

• a) providing a surgical fastener comprising:
• a body of a biodegradable plastic material having uninterrupted smooth inner and outer surfaces, said body including a first arm and a second arm, each of said arms including a proximal portion and a distal prong, said arms integrally connected to each other at said proximal portions, each of said distal prongs terminating at a tip, said tips of the distal prong of the first arm and the distal prong of the second arm face each other in a noninterlocking manner;
• said plastic material being a resilient material to permit movement of said first arm and said second arm between a first relaxed position where said body is substantially closed and a second stressed position where said body is open;
• said first and second arms each having a cross-sectional area of a first thickness and tapering inward along each of said respective arms from said proximal portions toward said respective tips, said tips of cross-sectional area of a second thickness, said second thickness being less than said first thickness;
• a longitudinal axis extending through the geometric center with respect to said body, and a transverse plane bisecting said longitudinal axis substantially perpendicularly;
• and
• said tips aligning along said transverse plane when in both said first relaxed position and said second stressed position;
• b) placing said surgical fastener proximate the surgical site;
• c) applying a spreading force to move the arms of said fastener from said first relaxed position to said second stressed position and moving said fastener into contact with the tissue to be fastened, such that said tissue is disposed between the prongs while said arms are in said second stressed position;
• and
• d) releasing said force on the arms, thereby returning said first and second arms to said first relaxed state.