Articulated suturing system

• US 20040181242A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Barosense, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Barosense, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stack, Richard S., Balbierz, Dan, Lunsford, John, Athas, William L.
• Application Number:
  US10/387,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181242A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/139
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/068 Surgical staplers , e.g. containing multiple staples or clampsstaplers containing only one staple A61B17/10; magazines or containers for staples A61B17/105; for performing anastomosis A61B17/115; staplers in general B25C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1285 for minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22052 eccentric
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

Described herein is a system for delivering a fastener to body tissue. The system includes an elongate flexible shaft extendable into a body cavity, a fastener-applying head on a distal portion of the shaft, a bending member in contact with the shaft, the bending member moveable into a first position imparting bending forces against the shaft to cause the shaft to bend. Methods for using the system are also described.

Claims

1. A method of attaching a medical implant in a body passage having outwardly tapered walls, comprising the steps of:

providing an elongate flexible shaft and a fastener-applying head on a distal portion of the shaft;

extending the fastener-applying head through an opening in a body and into a body passage having an outwardly tapered wall;

positioning the medical implant in the body passage;

bending the shaft to position the fastener-applying head in proximity to the wall; and

attaching the medical implant to the wall.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching step includes attaching the medical implant to the wall using a suture.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching step includes attaching the medical implant to the wall using a clip.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the attaching step includes attaching the medical implant to the wall using a staple.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes a pull wire and wherein the bending step includes withdrawing the pull wire.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the pull wire is coupled to the exterior of the shaft.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the pull wire extends through a channel within the shaft.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the providing step further provides an expandable member in contact with the shaft, and wherein the bending step includes expanding the expandable member to push a portion of the shaft in a lateral direction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the expandable member is an inflatable balloon.

10. The method of claim 1 further including the step of extending an endoscope through the body opening.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the shaft includes a pull wire and wherein the bending step includes withdrawing the pull wire, and wherein the endoscope is independent of the pull wire.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the bending step includes bending the shaft to an angle of up to 90 degrees.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the method is for attaching a medical implant in a gastro-esophageal junction region in a patient having an esophagus and a stomach, wherein the outwardly-tapered wall is a wall of the gastro-esophageal junction region, and wherein the extending step includes extending the fastener-applying head through the esophagus towards the stomach.

14. A system for delivering a fastener to body tissue, comprising:

an elongate flexible shaft extendable into a body cavity;

a fastener-applying head on a distal portion of the shaft;

a bending member in contact with the shaft, the bending member moveable into a first position imparting bending forces against the shaft to cause the shaft to bend.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the bending member is a pull wire attached to the shaft, the pull wire moveable to a retracted position to create a bend in the shaft.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the pull wire is connected to an exterior portion of the shaft.

17. The system of claim 15 wherein the pull wire extends through an interior channel in the shaft.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein the bending member is an expandable member in contact with the shaft and expandable to impart bending forces against the shaft.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the bending member is an inflatable balloon.

20. The system of claim 14 further comprising an endoscope extendable in the body cavity, the endoscope independent of the bending member.

21. The system of claim 14 wherein the bend is in the range of 10-90 degrees.

22. The system of claim 14 wherein the fastener-applying head is a suturing head.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein the fastener-applying head is a stapling head.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein the fastener-applying head is a clip applying head.

25. A medical implant system comprising:

a medical implant proportioned for implantation in a gastro-esophageal junction region of a body, the medical implant including a proximal opening, a distal opening, and a passage between the proximal and distal opening;

a fastener-applying device including an elongate flexible shaft extendable into a gastro-esophageal junction region, a fastener-applying head on a distal portion of the shaft, and a bending member in contact with the shaft, the bending member moveable into a first position imparting bending forces against the shaft to cause the shaft to bend.

26. The medical implant system of claim 25 wherein the medical implant is proportioned for attachment to an outwardly-tapered wall of a gastro-esophageal junction region, and wherein the bending member is moveable to impart bending forces against the shaft to cause the shaft to bend into proximity with the outwardly-tapered wall.

27. The system of claim 25 wherein the bending member is a pull wire attached to the shaft, the pull wire moveable to a retracted position to create a bend in the shaft.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein the pull wire is connected to an exterior portion of the shaft.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the pull wire extends through an interior channel in the shaft.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein the bending member is an expandable member in contact with the shaft and expandable to impart bending forces against the shaft.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the bending member is an inflatable balloon.

32. The system of claim 25 further comprising an endoscope extendable in the body cavity, the endoscope independent of the bending member.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein the bend is in the range of 10-90 degrees.

34. The system of claim 25 wherein the fastener-applying head is a suturing head.

35. The system of claim 25 wherein the fastener-applying head is a stapling head.

36. The system of claim 25 wherein the fastener-applying head is a clip applying head.

37. An articulating attachment attachable to a fastener-applying system having an elongate flexible shaft extendable into a body cavity and a fastener-applying head on a distal portion of the shaft, the articulating attachment comprising:

a bending member positionable in contact with the shaft, the bending member moveable into a first position imparting bending forces against the shaft to cause the shaft to bend.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the bending member is a pull wire attachable to the shaft, the pull wire moveable to a retracted position to create a bend in the shaft.

39. The system of claim 38 further including a sleeve attached to the pull wire and positionable around a portion of the shaft.

40. The system of claim 37 wherein the bending member is an expandable member positionable in contact with the shaft and expandable to impart bending forces against the shaft.

41. The system of claim 40 wherein the bending member is an inflatable balloon.

42. The system of claim 40 further including a sleeve attached to the balloon and positionable around a portion of the shaft.