Method and apparatus for tissue fastening
First Claim
1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
- a body assembly including a penetrator assembly having a penetrator movable along a penetrator pathway; and
a tissue interface portion, the tissue interface portion having a insertion head and a at least one tissue capture arm, each capture arm having a convex capture lobe for interfacing with a concave positioning guide on the insertion head and wherein each convex capture lobe includes a plurality of gripping members arranged along a lobe interface surface of the convex capture lobe in a first direction generally parallel to and along the penetrator path and in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction, wherein an arrangement of the plurality of gripping members in the second direction defines an arcuate gripping radius,such that a tissue drape formed of tissue captured between the convex capture lobe and the concave positioning guide has a tissue drape arc that generally conforms to the arcuate gripping radius and the arcuate gripping radius defines a substantially constant insertion depth of tissue relative to a surface of the penetrator along at least a portion of the penetrator pathway.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus directed to tissue capture, presentation and retention using a surgical apparatus. One or more tissue capture arms can include surface features that engage captured tissue and provide omni-directional support during capture and retention of the tissue. The tissue clamping arm can include improved centering features for positioning captured tissue relative to a penetrator that is advance into the capture tissue. Through improved tissue handling and tissue retention relative to the penetrator, captured tissue can be consistently pierced regardless of external forces and techniques. The tissue clamping arm can include gripping members arranged along an interface surface to improve tissue grip and presentation.
104 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A surgical apparatus comprising:
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a body assembly including a penetrator assembly having a penetrator movable along a penetrator pathway; and a tissue interface portion, the tissue interface portion having a insertion head and a at least one tissue capture arm, each capture arm having a convex capture lobe for interfacing with a concave positioning guide on the insertion head and wherein each convex capture lobe includes a plurality of gripping members arranged along a lobe interface surface of the convex capture lobe in a first direction generally parallel to and along the penetrator path and in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction, wherein an arrangement of the plurality of gripping members in the second direction defines an arcuate gripping radius, such that a tissue drape formed of tissue captured between the convex capture lobe and the concave positioning guide has a tissue drape arc that generally conforms to the arcuate gripping radius and the arcuate gripping radius defines a substantially constant insertion depth of tissue relative to a surface of the penetrator along at least a portion of the penetrator pathway. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method for penetrating soft tissue other than bone in a patient, comprising:
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providing a surgical apparatus having a penetrator movable along a penetrator pathway in a first direction, the surgical apparatus including a capture arm and an insertion head; grasping tissue between the capture arm and the insertion head to form a tissue drape; forming a tissue drape arc along an interior surface of the capture arm in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction, the interior surface including an arrangement of a plurality of gripping members that defines an arcuate gripping radius in the second direction; and advancing the penetrator through the tissue drape arc in the first direction such that the penetrator cuts through the tissue drape arc at a substantially constant insertion depth relative to a surface of the penetrator along at least a portion of the penetrator pathway. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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10. A method for isolating external forces during creation of a penetration in soft tissue other than bone in a patient, comprising:
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providing a surgical apparatus having at least one capture arm and an insertion head adapted to capture tissue therebetween, the at least one capture arm including a plurality of tissue gripping members defined along an interface surface of the capture arm and the insertion head including a penetrator; grasping tissue between the capture arm and the insertion head to form a tissue drape such that horizontal slippage of the tissue drape is controlled by grasping an external surface of the tissue drape with the tissue gripping members; and presenting a generally constant insertion depth of the tissue drape to the penetrator by forming a tissue drape arc conforming to a gripping radius defined by the plurality of tissue gripping members. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for providing instruments and instructions for penetrating soft tissue other than bone in a patient, comprising:
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providing a surgical apparatus having a penetrator movable along a penetrator pathway in a first direction, the surgical apparatus including a capture arm and an insertion head; providing instructions for operating the surgical apparatus by; grasping tissue between the capture arm and the insertion head to form a tissue drape; forming a tissue drape arc along an interior surface of the capture arm in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction, the interior surface including an arrangement of a plurality of gripping members that defines an arcuate gripping radius in the second direction; and advancing the penetrator through the tissue drape arc in the first direction such that the penetrator cuts through the tissue drape arc at a substantially constant insertion depth relative to a surface of the penetrator along at least a portion of the penetrator pathway. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification