Method for closing an opening in tissue with a splayable staple

1. A method for closing an opening in tissue, comprising:

providing a staple having a plurality of tines and a longitudinal centerline, wherein said staple is a substantially continuous solid;

plastically deforming said staple to a splayed configuration;

penetrating at least one said tine into tissue in proximity to the opening;

plastically deforming said staple to a closed configuration; and

pushing said staple in a direction transverse to said longitudinal centerline after said plastically deforming said staple to a closed configuration, whereby said pushing releases said staple.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said plastically deforming said staple to a closed configuration includes deforming at least one said tine to a position offset from and substantially adjacent to another said tine.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

providing a housing; and

holding said staple at least partially within said housing.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said holding comprises holding said staple at a location spaced apart from the distal end of said housing.

5. The method of claim 3 , wherein said holding comprises holding said staple completely within said housing at a location spaced apart from the distal end of said housing before said plastically deforming said staple to a splayed configuration.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising registering the opening in tissue to said housing.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein said registering includes

maintaining said housing substantially stationary; and

moving the tissue toward said housing.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein said registering includes:

providing at least one butterfly member extending substantially distally from said housing;

inserting at least part of at least one said butterfly member into the opening in a collapsed configuration;

expanding at least part of at least one said butterfly member to an expanded configuration; and

moving at least one of said butterfly member in said expanded configuration and said housing toward the other.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:

collapsing each said butterfly member in said expanded configuration to said collapsed configuration; and

withdrawing each said butterfly member from the opening.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein said direction is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal centerline.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein said staple has two tines and lies substantially in a single plane.

12. A method for closing an opening in tissue, comprising:

providing a staple having a plurality of tines, and a paddle including a ridge defined thereon, said ridge positioned between said tines;

plastically deforming said staple to a splayed configuration by applying force in the distal direction against a proximal surface of said staple, wherein said plastically deforming said staple to a splayed configuration includes moving said staple and said ridge into contact with one another to generate a moment about said ridge that results in motion of said tines;

penetrating at least one said tine into tissue in proximity to the opening; and

plastically deforming said staple from said splayed configuration to a closed configuration by applying force in the distal direction against a proximal surface of said staple.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said staple has two tines and lies substantially in a single plane; further comprising moving said ridge substantially perpendicularly out of said plane after said plastically deforming said staple from said splayed configuration to a closed configuration.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said plastically deforming said staple to said closed configuration includes moving an outer surface of said staple into contact with a projection oriented at a angle to the direction of said moving, said contact restraining said staple against distal motion.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising urging said staple in said closed configuration along and then off of said projection.