Suturing instruments and methods of use
First Claim
1. A suturing instrument comprising:
- an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis;
a suture deployment system located within a distal end portion of said elongate body member wherein said distal end portion includes a suture exit port, said suture deployment system comprising;
a curved suture carrier channel; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel; and
a deployment controller having a proximal end, a distal end, a retracted position and a deployed position, said deployment controller extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of said elongate body member to the distal end of said elongate body member where it is coupled to said curved suture carrier and moves said curved suture carrier through said curved suture carrier channel as it moves between said retracted position and said deployed position, said curved suture carrier channel configured within said distal end portion of said elongate body member such that said curved suture carrier exits said suture exit port and is guided along a path which includes a proximal curved path segment such that a surface of said curved suture carrier is substantially adjacent with an outer surface of said distal end portion of said elongate body member along said proximal curved path segment.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and device for the placement of sutures and for the purpose of approximating tissue. The invention relates to devices for approximation, ligation and fixation of tissue using a suture, to various constituent parts comprising said devices, and particularly to the placement of sutures into certain difficult to access ligamental structures, to the approximation of tissue separated by means of an endosurgical trocar being inserted into a body cavity, and to approximation, ligation, and fixation of body tissue using both traditional open surgical and endosurgical techniques and instruments. The invention provides for the loading of suture material including needles into the device, introduction and placement of the device into the body cavity, with the distal end having deployable needle guides, extending the needle guides either simultaneously or individually to the periphery of the wound, engaging the wound with the needle guides, driving the needles and suture material through the tissue to be approximated into a catch mechanism, retracting the needle guides and withdrawing the device, leaving a loop of suture material in the margin of tissue. The suture may then be tied to approximate the wound and excess suture material cut off. The invention also provides for the placement of sutures for the endoscopic approximation, fixation, and ligation of tissues within a body cavity including the driving and retrieval of needle and suture combinations, and facilitating the tying of knots.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A suturing instrument comprising:
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an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis;
a suture deployment system located within a distal end portion of said elongate body member wherein said distal end portion includes a suture exit port, said suture deployment system comprising;
a curved suture carrier channel; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel; and
a deployment controller having a proximal end, a distal end, a retracted position and a deployed position, said deployment controller extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of said elongate body member to the distal end of said elongate body member where it is coupled to said curved suture carrier and moves said curved suture carrier through said curved suture carrier channel as it moves between said retracted position and said deployed position, said curved suture carrier channel configured within said distal end portion of said elongate body member such that said curved suture carrier exits said suture exit port and is guided along a path which includes a proximal curved path segment such that a surface of said curved suture carrier is substantially adjacent with an outer surface of said distal end portion of said elongate body member along said proximal curved path segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A suturing instrument comprising:
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a body member;
a suture exit port formed in said body member;
a curved suture carrier channel formed in said body member; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel, wherein said curved suture carrier has a retracted position such that said curved suture carrier is positioned within an interior region of said body member and a deployed position such that a portion of said curved suture carrier is positioned exterior to said body member, said curved suture carrier configured within said curved suture carrier channel such that said curved suture carrier exits said interior region of said body member through said suture exit port and is guided along a path which includes a proximal, curved path segment wherein a surface of said curved suture carrier is substantially adjacent with an outer surface of said body member along said proximal curved path segment. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A suturing instrument comprising:
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an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis;
a distal tip suture deployment assembly joined with a distal end of said elongate body member such that said distal tip assembly is free to rotate axially about said elongate body member longitudinal axis, said distal tip suture deployment assembly comprising;
a distal tip body member;
a suture exit port formed in said distal tip body member;
a curved suture carrier channel formed in said distal tip body member; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel; and
a deployment controller having a proximal end, a distal end, a retracted position and a deployed position, said deployment controller extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of said elongate body member to the distal end of said elongate body member where it is coupled to said distal tip suture deployment assembly and moves said curved suture carrier through said curved suture carrier channel as it moves between said retracted position and said deployed position. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for placing a suture in thin tissue adjacent bone structure comprising:
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placing a suturing instrument which encloses a curved suture carrier which is movably positioned within a curved suture carrier channel adjacent the tissue to be sutured; and
deploying the curved suture carrier out of the suturing instrument through an exit port such that the curved suture carrier exits an interior region of said suturing instrument through said exit port along a path which approaches being substantially tangential to an outer surface of said suturing instrument surrounding said exit port.
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19. A suturing instrument comprising:
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a body member;
an exit port formed in said body member;
a curved suture carrier channel formed in said body member; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel, wherein said curved suture carrier has a retracted position such that said curved suture carrier is positioned within an interior region of said body member and a deployed position such that a portion of said curved suture carrier is positioned exterior to said body member, said curved suture carrier configured within said curved suture carrier channel such that said curved suture carrier exits said interior region of said body member through said exit port along a path which approaches being substantially tangential to an outer surface of said body member surrounding said exit port.
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20. A suturing instrument comprising:
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an elongate body member having a longitudinal axis;
a suture deployment system located within a distal end portion of said elongate body member wherein said distal end portion includes a suture exit port, said suture deployment system comprising;
a curved suture carrier channel; and
a curved suture carrier movably positioned in said curved suture carrier channel; and
a deployment controller having a proximal end, a distal end, a retracted position and a deployed position, said deployment controller extending substantially along the longitudinal axis of said elongate body member to the distal end of said elongate body member where it is coupled to said curved suture carrier and moves said curved suture carrier through said curved suture carrier channel as it moves between said retracted position and said deployed position, said curved suture carrier channel configured within said distal end portion of said elongate body member such that said curved suture carrier exits said suture exit port along a path which approaches being substantially tangential to an outer surface of said body member surrounding said suture exit port. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification