A method for forming an artificial valve includes inserting a sheath having proximal and distal sections and a lumen extending therethrough orally into a body cavity inserting an endoscope orally into a body cavity, the endoscope being slidably positioned within the sheath holding tissue in a vicinity of a junction of a stomach and an esophagus where the artificial valve is to be formed, using a holding device extending from the sheath penetrating through tissue of the esophagus and then through tissue of the stomach at an oral side of the junction of the stomach and the esophagus with a needle provided outside of the endoscope which is not mechanically connected to the holding device and which is moveable outside of the endoscope relative to the endoscope and passing a binding member through the tissue of the esophagus and the tissue of the stomach using the needle.
