A tissue to tissue anchoring device and method of using the same

The invention describes a device (10) and method for anchoring two or more body tissue layers (22, 24) to one another. The device in one form may be a hollow, collapsible, microthin polymeric shaft (16) affixed to a noncollapsible tip (20) at a distal end (12) of the polymeric shaft. A preformed balloonable distention (18) formed in a discrete region of the shaft proximal to the noncollapsible tip would be adapted to anchor against one of the body tissue layers within a body orifice (26). A rod (50) attached at one end to the tip which extends along the shaft and terminates at a second end near a proximal end of the device would be used for transferring movement from the second end to the f irst end so as to effect a movement in the tip. The method pertains to the method of using such a device to secure one or more tissue layers together, ultimately to assist in the fusion of the layers.