Patent attributes
A surgical stapling device is provided having a shaft, a surgical staple slidable longitudinally within the shaft, and a staple-firing mechanism for driving the staple towards the forward end of the housing, bending the staple to bring the free ends of the legs towards one another to close the staple, and releasing the closed staple. The device also includes a blood locator tube slidable longitudinally within the shaft between an initial extended position wherein a forward end of the tube projects beyond the forward end of the shaft to enter a puncture site in a liquid-carrying vessel in a human or animal, thereby to locate the forward end of the shaft at the puncture site, and a retracted position wherein the tube is retracted into the housing in coordination with the closure of the staple. The tube has a longitudinal slot extending rearwardly from its forward end and the back of the staple is accommodated transversely in the slot.
