Tack and tack applier

Abstract

A surgical tack is disclosed for securing a surgical mesh material to body tissue. The tack includes a pair of legs and an arcuate cross-member. A surgical tack applier is also disclosed, for applying the surgical tack. The applier includes an elongate tubular portion having a jacket with a main channel and a pair of longitudinally extending sub channels. A rotatable drive rod having a helical thread is coupled to the applier, and the sub channels receive the legs of the tack. The helical thread receives the arcuate cross-member of the surgical tack. Rotation of the drive rod drives the tack from the distal end of the applier.

1 . A surgical tack for securing a mesh material to body tissue, comprising: 
 a pair of legs each having a proximal end and a free distal end, the legs defining a centerline therebetween, the centerline being substantially equidistant between the proximal ends of the legs and between the free distal ends of the legs; and    an arcuate cross-member interconnected to the proximal ends of the legs, wherein the free distal ends of the legs are spaced apart from the centerline in a first condition and overlap the centerline in a second condition.    
   
   
       2 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the pair of legs further define a vertical plane.  
   
   
       3 . The surgical tack of  claim 2 , wherein the arcuate cross-member defines a plane at an angle with respect to the vertical plane defined by the legs.  
   
   
       4 . The surgical tack of  claim 2 , wherein the arcuate cross-member is oriented substantially orthogonal to the vertical plane defined by the pair of legs.  
   
   
       5 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the free distal ends are approximated towards one another in the second condition.  
   
   
       6 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the free distal end of the legs are provided with a pointed tip.  
   
   
       7 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical tack is made from a shape memory material.  
   
   
       8 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the surgical tack is made from a bio-absorbable material.  
   
   
       9 . The surgical tack of  claim 1 , wherein the bio-absorbable material is selected from the group consisting of polyglycolic acid, polylactic acid, and polyglycolide.  
   
   
       10 . The surgical tack of  claim 6 , wherein the free distal end of the legs are configured to deflect from the first condition to the second condition upon a change in temperature.  
   
   
       11 . A method of securing mesh material to body tissue, the method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a surgical tack in first condition, the surgical tack including: 
 a pair of legs each having a proximal end and a free distal end, the legs defining a centerline therebetween, the centerline being substantially equidistant between the proximal ends of the legs and between the free distal ends of the legs; and  
   an arcuate cross-member interconnected to the proximal ends of the legs, wherein the free distal ends of the legs are spaced apart from the centerline in a first condition and overlap the centerline in a second condition;    advancing the free distal ends of the legs of surgical tack through surgical mesh and into tissue, and    simultaneously deflecting the free distal ends of the legs towards one another.    
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , further including the step of removing the surgical tack.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surgical tack is bio-absorbable.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the surgical tack is made from a shape memory material.