Vascular suturing device

• US 20070032799A1
• Filed: 08/08/2005
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Abbott Laboratories Incorporated
• Inventors: Walberg, Erik, Ellingwood, Brian, Pantages, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,517 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 2017/06028 by means of a cylindrical longitudinal blind bore machined at the suture-receiving end of the needle, e.g. opposite to needle tip

Abstract

A surgical device for suturing vascular vessels is described, as well as methods for suturing tissue employing the surgical device. The device includes a distal member for insertion into a vascular vessel puncture wound. The distal member contains a suture and needle engaging fitting. At least one needle is advanced through tissue adjacent the puncture wound and into the needle engaging fitting to draw lengths of suture material which can then be used to close the puncture wound.

Claims

1. A suturing device for suturing an opening in a vascular vessel, said device comprising:

a proximal member including an elongate body having a needle channel therethrough sized to receive at least one needle;

a distal member configured to be inserted within a lumen of a vascular vessel, said member having a receptacle located therein;

an intermediate member disposed between the proximal member and the distal member, said intermediate member defining a tissue receiving area and having a first opening providing a passageway to the needle channel and a second opening providing a passageway into the receptacle;

a length of suture material comprising a needle engaging fitting positioned in the receptacle to engage a needle entering from the second opening, wherein the receptacle in said distal member is substantially in line with the longitudinal axis of said needle channel and the intermediate member deviates from the longitudinal axis.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the needle engaging fitting comprises ferrule having a needle engaging tab.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the ferrule comprises a cylindrical housing having a plurality of tabs extending radially into the cylindrical housing.

4. The device of claim 2 further comprising a needle having a recessed engaging surface configured to engage with the needle engaging tab.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein the length of suture material comprises a first needle engaging fitting on a first end and a second needle engaging fitting on a second end.

6. The device of claim 1 comprising two needle engaging fittings in the receptacle.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the receptacle is substantially circular or oval in cross section and the two needle engaging fittings are radially displaced from each other.

8. The device of claim 6 wherein the receptacle is elongate and the two needle engaging fittings are axially displaced from each other.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximal member contains a single needle channel extending therethrough.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said receptacle has an abutment to limit the distal movement of said needle engaging fitting.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the proximal member comprises a needle cartridge having a plurality of slots configured to slidably receive needles.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the cartridge is slidably mounted on the proximal member to sequentially align one of the slots with the needle channel.

13. The device of claim 1 further comprising a needle pusher slidably mounted in alignment with the needle channel to advance a needle along the channel in a direction toward the first opening in the connecting member.

14. The device of claim 1 further comprising a hollow needle with a length of suture material extending at least partly therethrough.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the connecting member is curved or angled to define a tissue receiving recess configured to receive a portion of vascular tissue adjacent the opening in the vascular vessel.

16. The device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the distal member is flexible.

17. The device of claim 1 wherein the connecting member is rigid.

18. A suturing device for suturing an opening in a vascular vessel, said device comprising:

a proximal member including an elongate body having a needle channel therethrough sized to receive at least one needle and including a needle cartridge slidably mounted thereon configured to contain a plurality of needles;

a distal member configured to be inserted within a lumen of a vascular vessel, said member having a receptacle located therein;

an intermediate member disposed between the proximal member and the distal member, said intermediate member defining a tissue receiving area and having a first opening providing a passageway to the channel and a second opening providing a passageway into the receptacle;

a length of suture material comprising a needle engaging fitting positioned in the receptacle to engage a needle entering from the second opening.

19. The device of claim 18 wherein the needle engaging fitting comprises a ferrule having a needle engaging tab.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein the ferrule comprises a cylindrical housing having a plurality of tabs extending radially inward.

21. The device of claim 18 comprising a needle having a recessed engaging surface configured to engage with the needle engaging tabs.

22. The device of claim 18 wherein the length of suture material comprises a first needle engaging fitting on and first end and a second needle engaging fitting on a second end.

23. The device of claim 18 comprising two needle engaging fittings in the receptacle.

24. The device of claim 18 wherein the proximal member contains a single needle channel extending therethrough.

25. The device of claim 18 wherein the connecting member is curved or angled to define a tissue receiving recess configured to receive a portion of vascular tissue adjacent the opening in the vascular vessel.

26. The device of claim 18 comprising a needle pusher slidably mounted in alignment with the needle channel to advance a needle along the needle channel in a direction toward the first opening in the connecting member.

27. A method of suturing an opening in a vascular vessel, said method comprising:

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

a distal member configured to be inserted into the lumen of the vascular vessel, the distal member having a cavity therein and a length of suture material disposed in the cavity; and

a connecting member between the proximal and distal members, the connecting member angled or curved to offset the channel and the cavity from the opening in the vascular vessel and having a first opening into the needle channel and a second opening into the cavity;

advancing the needle through the needle channel, sufficient to pierce a portion of tissue adjacent the opening in the vessel extend into the cavity of the distal member;

capturing the suture within the cavity with the needle;

retracting the needle carrying a first portion of the suture back through the tissue and the channel.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the suture comprises a needle engaging fitting.

29. The method of claim 27 comprising repositioning the suturing device within the lumen and advancing the same or a different needle through the channel to the suture within the cavity.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the suture comprises two needle engaging fittings.

31. The method of claim 30 comprising retracting the same or different needle carrying a second length of suture back through the tissue and the channel to leave a loop of suture within the cavity.

32. The method of claim 36 comprising securing the first and second portions of the suture together to promote hemostasis.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said securing comprises tying the first and second portions of suture together.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said securing comprises clamping the first and second portions of suture together with a suture clamp.