Wire fasteners having legs with lengths that can be one hundred times the width of the
fastener are used to secure items, such as
prosthesis valves to a patient during minimally
invasive surgery. The fasteners are manipulated into position and then are immobilized by means of the legs thereof for tensioning,
cutting and forming in situ. The fasteners are manipulated, tensioned and formed from the leg end of the fasteners. Tools for initially placing the fasteners and for immobilizing, tensioning,
cutting and bending the
fastener legs are disclosed. Once the fasteners are initially placed, the
prosthesis is placed on the long legs of the placed fasteners and is guided into position on the legs. Once the
prosthesis is in position, the legs of the fasteners are immobilized, tensioned,
cut and bent into staple-like shapes to secure the prosthesis to the patient. A method for carrying out the procedure using the long
fastener is also disclosed. Using the teaching of the present disclosure, a surgeon can customize a fastener to the particular
surgery or even to the particular portion of
surgery being performed during the
surgery.