A
fastener (13) and
fastener delivery device (73) for guiding, delivering and deploying the
fastener (13) into tissue to provide sustained gripping forces and methods of use. The fastener (13) is curved with a spring-like or shape memory material (15) and gripping elements (14). The fastener (13) is resiliently straightened and loaded into a
cartridge (7) within a needle (1). The needle (1) and
cartridge (7) both contain a slit (2, 8), and the slits (2, 8) extend to the distal openings (16, 17) of the needle (1) and
cartridge (7). When the slits (2, 8) are not aligned, out-of-phase with each other, the fastener (13) remains resiliently straightened in the needle (1). When the slits (2, 8) overlap, in-phase with each other, the fastener (13) resiliently curves and deploys from the slits (2, 8), elastically gripping adjacent tissue. The device (73) is free to be withdrawn, allowing the fastener (13) to slide out from the distal openings (16, 17) of both cartridge (7) and needle (1).