The present invention relates to devices and methods for the repair of
hernia. One method for repairing a
hernia the steps of making an incision through a
skin layer of a patient near the
hernia, creating an entrance into the preperitoneal space above the
peritoneum at a location above the hernia, identifying and freeing a hernia sac, creating a pocket in the preperitoneal space, directing a
surgical patch down through the incision and into the preperitoneal space, and expanding the
surgical patch in the preperitoneal space. The method further includes the steps of inserting a distal end of a surgical fastening device through the incision and into the
surgical patch, actuating the surgical fastening device to drive a
fastener through the surgical patch and into the tissue of the patient, moving the distal end of the surgical fastening device to another location, actuating the surgical fastening device to drive a second
fastener through the surgical patch and into the tissue of the patient, and closing the incision with stitches. One surgical apparatus for repairing a hernia includes a
surgical stapling instrument for applying at least one
surgical staple to fasten a surgical hernia patch to internal
body tissue. The
surgical instrument includes a
handle assembly have a longitudinal axis. A staple
cartridge housing is mounted to the
handle assembly and is adapted to receive the at least one staple. The staple
cartridge housing is dimensioned for
insertion through an incision and has a staple
actuator mechanism for applying the at least one staple into tissue. An actuation mechanism is operatively coupled to the staple
actuator mechanism to operate the staple actuation mechanism.