Vascular suturing device with needle capture

• US 20070032798A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories
• Inventors: Walberg, Erik, Ellingwood, Brian, Pantages, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,083,754 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 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06004 Means for attaching suture to needle tipping A61B17/06195; connecting wire to other metallic objects B21F15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00663 the implement being a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0464 for soft tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06009 having additional means for releasably clamping the suture to the needle, e.g. actuating rod slideable within the needle

Abstract

A surgical device of suturing vascular vessels is described, as well as methods for suturing tissue employing the surgical device. The device includes at least one needle advanceable through tissue and into a needle capture element within a distal end of the surgical device to draw lengths of suture material which can then be used to close various puncture wounds, particularly in vascular tissue.

Claims

1. A suturing device for suturing a wall portion of a vascular vessel, said device comprising:

a proximal member including an elongate body with a channel sized to receive a needle therein;

a distal member comprising a receptacle therein, said distal member configured to be inserted into a vascular vessel, and wherein the receptacle is sized to receive at least one needle therein;

an intermediate member disposed between the proximal member and distal member, said intermediate member defining a tissue receiving area and including a first passageway from the channel to the tissue receiving area and second passageway from the receptacle in the distal member to the tissue receiving area; and

a needle capture element positioned in the receptacle of the distal member configured to retain a needle inserted into the receptacle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the receptacle of the distal member is sized to receive two or more needles.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the needle capture element is configured to secure each of the two or more needles inserted into the receptacle.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle capture element comprises a plug of resilient material.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein resilient material is selected from the group consisting of:

polyurethane, polyethylene, poly(tetrafluoroethylene), poly(vinyl chloride), polyolefin, and silicon rubber.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the plug of resilient material defines an internal wall portion of the receptacle.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle capture element comprises at least one projection extending from an internal wall of the receptacle.

8. The device of claim 10 wherein the projection is configured to bias a needle inserted into the receptacle against an internal wall surface of the receptacle.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle capture element comprises one or more leaves.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle capture element comprises a pair of leaves extending radially inward from an internal wall portion of the receptacle and in a distal direction.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle capture element comprises at least one tab extending radially inwardly from a surface of the receptacle of the distal member to engage with a recessed engagement surface of the needle.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximal member comprises a needle cartridge slidably mounted thereon.

14. The device of claim 1 comprising a first needle and slidably disposed in the needle cartridge.

15. The device of claim 14 comprising a second needle attached to a second end of the length and slidably disposed in the needle cartridge.

16. The device of claim 15 comprising a needle pusher slidably disposed in the needle channel to sequentially advance the first and second needles along the needle channel.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the first needle is attached to a first end of a length of suture material, and the second needle is attached to a second end of the length of suture material.

18. The device of claim 1 wherein the intermediate member is curved or angled to offset the first and second passageways from wall portion of the vascular vessel disposed in the tissue receiving area.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the intermediate member is configured to provide a linear pathway for a needle from the first passageway through the tissue receiving area to the second passageway.

13. The device of claim 13 wherein said needle cartridge comprises a two or more needle slots capable of being sequentially aligned with a single needle channel.

20. A method of suturing vascular tissue adjacent an opening in a vascular vessel, said method comprising:

inserting a suturing device through the opening in the vascular vessel, said suturing device comprising a proximal member having a needle channel and a needle therein, said needle carrying a length of suture material;

a distal member configured to be inserted into the lumen of the vascular vessel, the distal member having a receptacle comprising a needle capture element and sized to receive at least one needle therein; and

an intermediate member disposed between the proximal member and the distal member, the intermediate member defining a tissue receiving area and configured to provide a linear needle pathway between the channel and the receptacle;

advancing the needle distally along the needle channel to pierce the vascular tissue and draw a portion of the length of suture material through the vascular tissue;

engaging the needle with the needle capture element in the receptacle.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein engaging the needle with said capture element comprises piercing the needle capture element with at least a tip of the needle.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the needle capture element comprises at least one projection and said engaging comprises contacting the needle with the at least one projection.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the said engaging comprises inserting the needle between the at least one projection and an internal wall of the receptacle.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the needle capture element comprises a plurality of projections extending into the receptacle and said engaging comprises inserting the needle between two or more of the plurality of projections.

25. The method of claim 20 comprising sequentially advancing two or more needle along the needle channel and into the receptacle.

26. The method of claim 20 comprising withdrawing the suturing device from the opening in the vascular vessel with the needle retained within the receptacle.

27. The method of claim 26 comprising pulling suture material distally through vascular tissue adjacent the opening.

28. The method of claim 27 comprising pulling suture material proximally out the opening.

29. The method of claim 28 comprising pulling two lengths of suture material proximally out the opening.

30. The method of claim 29 comprising securing the two lengths of suture material together.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said securing comprises tying the two lengths of suture material together.

32. The method of claim 30 wherein said securing comprises using a suture securing device to secure the two lengths of suture material together.

33. The method of claim 30 comprising using a knot pusher to secure the two lengths of suture material together.