Apparatus and methods for performing an anastomosis

• US 20020198543A1
• Filed: 06/13/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albert G. Burdulis, Joshua M. Stafford
• Original Assignee: Albert G. Burdulis, Joshua M. Stafford
• Inventors: Stafford, Joshua M., Burdulis, Albert G.
• Granted Patent: US 6,749,615 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/144
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0491 Sewing machines for surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06061 Holders for needles or sutures, e.g. racks, stands hand-held holding instruments A61B17/0483; holders for articles A61B50/20; racks for syringes or for hypodermic or infusion needles A61M5/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1139 Side-to-side connections, e.g. shunt or X-connections

Abstract

A suturing device suitable for anastomosis procedures. The suturing device includes a suture guid and a needle holder. The suture guide includes a foot portion having an axis defined along a length of the foot portion. The foot portion includes a plurality of apertures, each aperture holding a suture. The needle holder movably holds at least one needle relative to a first side of the foot portion and movably holds at least one needle relative to a second side of the foot portion. The needles are movable into respective apertures, and the at least one needle on the first side of the foot portion is at an angle relative to the at least one needle on the second side of the foot portion.

Claims

1. A suturing device comprising:

a suture guide including a foot portion having an axis defined along a length of the foot portion, the foot portion including a plurality of apertures, each aperture holding a suture; and

a needle holder movably holding at least one needle relative to a first side of the foot portion and movably holding at least one needle relative to a second side of the foot portion, wherein the needles are movable into respective apertures, and wherein the at least one needle on the first side of the foot portion is at an angle relative to the at least one needle on the second side of the foot portion.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a body including a driving mechanism and wherein the needles are operatively associated with the driving mechanism.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the driving mechanism drives the needles into the foot portion.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes two needle holders.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein each needle holder includes five needles.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the foot portion has a circular cross-sectional profile.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the foot portion has an oval cross-sectional profile.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the foot portion has a square cross-sectional profile.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the suture guide includes a shaft portion slidably engaged with the needle holder and wherein the foot portion extends from the shaft portion.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sutures further include cuffs, and the cuffs are adapted to receive the needles.

11. A suturing device comprising:

a body including a driving mechanism;

at least one needle holder adapted to be received by the body, wherein the needle holder includes a plurality of needles wherein the needles are operatively coupled to the driving mechanism;

a suture guide having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is adapted to slidably engage the needle holder, and the second end further including a plurality of apertures adapted to receive a plurality of sutures; and

wherein the driving mechanism drives the needles into the second end of the suture guide at an angle relative to an axis extending along the first and second end of the suture guide.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the sutures further include cuffs, and the cuffs are adapted to receive the needles.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the device includes two needle holders.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the second end of the suture guide has a circular cross-sectional profile.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the second end of the suture guide has a oval cross-sectional profile.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the second end of the suture guide has a square cross-sectional profile.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the suture guide has a shaft portion extending vertically relative to the foot portion.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the needles are driven along an angle relative to a vertical axis of the shaft portion.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising aligning a graft vessel with the incision, and advancing suture through an end region of the graft vessel such that the graft vessel is joined with the vessel wall to provide an anastomosis.

17. A method of suturing an incision in a vessel wall, the method comprising:

placing a suture guide having a foot portion with a generally circular cross-section through the incision;

advancing a plurality of needles having tips through the vessel wall and into the foot portion;

receiving the needle tips into cuffs releasably held in the foot portion, the cuffs having suture elements attached thereto; and

retracting the plurality of needles from the foot portion so as to pull the cuffs and suture elements through the vessel wall.