Suturing system and method

• US 20040078046A1
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/16/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CIVCO Medical Instruments Company Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CIVCO Medical Instruments Company Incorporated (Roper Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Roger, Brauner, Stephen E., Barzell, Winston E., Whitmore, Willet F.
• Granted Patent: US 6,821,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/148
• 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 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end

Abstract

A suturing system and method for suturing first and second tissue sections is described. The system includes an elongate member having paired distal and proximal channels. The distal channel extends in the elongate member from the proximal end to a distal aperture and receives the distal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of a suture. The first proximal channel extends in the elongate member from the proximal end to a first proximal aperture and receives the proximal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of the suture. The elongate member is positioned between the first and second tissue sections with the suture in the first distal and first proximal channels such that a part of the body portion extends from the proximal end of the elongate member. The distal end of the suture passes through the first tissue section and the proximal end of the first suture passes through the second tissue section. The elongate member can be provided with other paired channels for additional sutures.

Claims

1. A suturing system for suturing first and second tissue sections comprising:

a first suture having distal and proximal end portions and a body portion therebetween;

an elongate member with proximal and distal ends;

a first distal channel extending in the elongate member from the proximal end to a first distal aperture and configured and dimensioned to receive the distal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of the first suture;

a first proximal channel extending in the elongate member from the proximal end to a first proximal aperture and configured and dimensioned to receive the proximal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of the first suture,

wherein when the elongate member is positioned in relation to the first and second tissue sections with the first suture in the first distal and first proximal channels such that a part of the body portion extends from the proximal end of the elongate member, at least one of;

a) the distal end of the first suture passes through the first tissue section and;

b) the proximal end of the first suture passes through the second tissue section.

2. The suturing system of claim 1 wherein the first proximal aperture is located a spaced longitudinal distance from the first distal aperture.

3. The suturing system of claim 2 wherein when the elongate member is positioned between the first and second tissue sections with the first suture in the first distal and first proximal channels such that a part of the body portion extends from the proximal end of the elongate member, the distal end of the first suture passes through the first tissue section and the proximal end of the first suture passes through the second tissue section so that the first suture passes through both the first and second tissue sections.

4. The suturing system of claim 1 wherein the elongate member includes indicia on an outer surface for providing reference markings for positioning the elongate member.

5. The suturing system of claim 1 wherein the distal end of the elongate member includes a flexible tip.

6. The suturing system of claim 5 wherein the distal end of the elongate member includes a threaded stud for attaching the flexible tip.

7. The suturing system of claim 1 wherein each of the distal and proximal end portions of the first suture has a needle attached thereto.

8. The suturing system of claim 7 wherein the first distal channel has a curved section leading to the first distal aperture.

9. The suturing system of claim 8 wherein the first proximal channel has a curved section leading to the first proximal aperture.

10. The suturing system of claim 9 wherein the needles are made of a material having elasticity to allow the needles to bend through the curved section of either the first distal or proximal channel and then straighten after passing therethrough.

11. The suturing system of claim 10 wherein the needles are made of a shape memory material.

12. The suturing system of claim 11 wherein the needles are made of a nickel titanium alloy.

13. The suturing system of claim 11 wherein each of the needles has a radius and can be bent to a bent radius about eight times the needle radius.

14. The suturing system of claim 7 further comprising a needle pusher for moving one of the needles through the first distal or proximal channel.

15. The suturing system of claim 1 wherein the elongate member comprises:

a central longitudinal section in which the first distal and proximal channels extend, each of the channels having a side open to the exterior of the central longitudinal section; and

a first outer longitudinal section mating with the central longitudinal section to cover the open side of the first distal and proximal channels.

16. The suturing system of claim 15 wherein the central longitudinal section and the first outer longitudinal section are pivotably coupled.

17. The suturing system of claim 1 further comprising:

a second suture having distal and proximal end portions and a body portion therebetween;

a second distal channel extending in the elongate member from the proximal end to a second distal aperture and configured and dimensioned to receive the distal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of the second suture;

a second proximal channel extending in the elongate member from the proximal end to a second proximal aperture and configured and dimensioned to receive the proximal end portion and at least a part of the body portion of the second suture,

wherein when the elongate member is positioned between the first and second tissue sections with the second suture in the first distal and first proximal channels such that a part of the body portion extends from the proximal end of the elongate member, the distal end of the second suture passes through the first tissue section and the proximal end of the second suture passes through the second tissue section so that the second suture passes through both the first and second tissue sections.

18. The suturing system of claim 17 wherein the elongate member comprises:

a central longitudinal section in which the first distal and proximal channels and the second distal and proximal channels extend, each of the channels having a side open to the exterior of the central longitudinal section;

a first outer longitudinal section mating with the central longitudinal section to cover the open side of the first distal and proximal channels; and

a second outer longitudinal section mating with the central longitudinal section to cover the open side of the second distal and proximal channels.

19. The suturing system of claim 18 wherein the central longitudinal section has first and second alignment bores and each of the first and second outer longitudinal sections has an alignment prong, the alignment prong of the first outer longitudinal section insertable in the first alignment bore and the alignment prong of the second outer longitudinal section insertable in the second alignment bore to mate the central and first and second longitudinal sections.

20. The suturing system of claim 19 further comprising at least one flexible ring for fastening together the central and first and second longitudinal sections.