| CPC A61M 1/84 (2021.05) [A61B 17/0469 (2013.01); A61B 17/122 (2013.01); A61B 17/1227 (2013.01); A61B 17/128 (2013.01); A61B 17/1285 (2013.01); A61B 17/22031 (2013.01); A61B 17/30 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 17/0482 (2013.01); A61B 2017/306 (2013.01)] | 16 Claims |

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1. A method for closing a tissue opening, comprising the steps of:
inserting into a living body a distal portion of a shaft and positioning a tissue receiving opening extending through a wall of the shaft adjacent to the tissue opening, the shaft extending longitudinally from a distal end to a proximal end attached to a controller which remains outside of the body and including a lumen extending therethrough;
drawing edges of the tissue opening through the tissue receiving opening into the lumen; and
moving a fastening element housed within the lumen from a first configuration in which the fastening element is open to receive the tissue edges therebetween to a second configuration in which the fastening element is closed to fasten the tissue edges against one another, wherein the fastening element comprises a first fastening edge and a second fastening edge, and wherein the moving the fastening element from the first configuration to the second configuration causes the first and second fastening edges to roll inward toward one another as the fastening element moves from the first configuration to the second configuration, the first and second fastening edges gripping the tissue edges so that the rolling of the first and second fastening edges relative to one another pulls the tissue edges further into the lumen as the fastening element is moved to the second configuration.
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