METHODS AND DEVICES FOR CONTINUOUS SUTURE PASSING
First Claim
1. A continuous suture passer comprising:
- a first jaw and a second jaw;
a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw;
a tissue penetrator configured to form a channel through the tissue through which a suture shuttle may be passed, wherein the suture shuttle may be releasably secured to the tissue penetrator; and
a suture shuttle dock functionally connected to the second jaw and configured to releasably secure the suture shuttle so that the suture shuttle may be passed between the first and second jaws.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are suture passers for suturing tissue in a continuous manner by passing a suture attached to a suture shuttle through. A suture passer may include a first jaw, a second jaw, and a tissue perpetrator that is retractable and extendable from the first jaw. The tissue penetrator may have a suture shuttle engagement region, and the second jaw may include a shuttle dock. The suture shuttle may be transferred between the first and second jaws as the tissue penetrator is extended from the first jaw and engages the second jaw. In some variations of the tissue passer, one or both jaws are tissue penetrating. In some variations, the jaws open in parallel, allowing large tissue regions to be positioned between the jaws. Methods of using these devices are also described, as are systems and kits including these devices.
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Citations
87 Claims
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1. A continuous suture passer comprising:
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a first jaw and a second jaw; a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw; a tissue penetrator configured to form a channel through the tissue through which a suture shuttle may be passed, wherein the suture shuttle may be releasably secured to the tissue penetrator; and a suture shuttle dock functionally connected to the second jaw and configured to releasably secure the suture shuttle so that the suture shuttle may be passed between the first and second jaws. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 34, 46)
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25. A continuous suture passer comprising:
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a first jaw and a second jaw; a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw; a tissue penetrator configured to form a channel through the tissue through which a suture shuttle may be passed, wherein the distal tip of the tissue penetrator is configured to be substantially retracted into the first jaw; and a suture shuttle dock functionally connected to the second jaw and configured to releasably secure the suture shuttle so that the suture shuttle may be passed back and forth between the first and second jaws.
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26. A continuous suture passer comprising:
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a tissue clamping region including a first jaw having first tissue-contacting surface, and a second jaw having a second tissue-contacting surface, wherein the tissue-contacting surfaces of the first and second jaws are substantially parallel when the tissue clamping region is opened; a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw; an elongate neck region between the distally located tissue clamping region and the proximally located handle; and a tissue penetrator configured to releasably secure to a suture shuttle and to form a channel through the tissue through which the suture shuttle may be passed. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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47. A continuous suture passer comprising:
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a first jaw and a second jaw; a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw; a first tissue penetrator configured to extend from the first jaw and to form a channel through the tissue through which a suture shuttle may be passed, wherein the suture shuttle may be releasably secured to the first tissue penetrator; and a second tissue penetrator configured to extend from the second jaw and to form a channel through the tissue which the suture shuttle may be passed, wherein the suture shuttle may be releasably secured to the second tissue penetrator; wherein the first and second tissue penetrators are configured to pass the suture shuttle between them.
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48. A suture shuttle comprising:
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a suture attachment region configured to secure to a suture; a shuttle body having an outer surface that is substantially blunt, wherein the shuttle body region has an outer diameter that is less than 5 mm; and a shuttle retainer region configured to engage a tissue penetrator to retain tire suture shuttle in communication with the tissue penetrator. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A system for continuously suturing a tissue, the system comprising;
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a continuous suture passer having a first jaw and a second jaw, a handle including a jaw control configured to manipulate at least one jaw, and a tissue penetrator configured to form a channel through the tissue, wherein the tissue penetrator is configured to be substantially retractable into the first jaw; and a suture shuttle having a suture attachment region configured to secure to the distal portion of a surgical suture, and a shuttle body that is configured to engage the tissue penetrator. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59)
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60. A method of passing a suture comprising:
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positioning a tissue between a first jaw and a second jaw of a suture passer, wherein the suture passer includes an extendable tissue penetrator functionally connected with the first jaw and a suture shuttle dock functionally connected with the second jaw, wherein a suture shuttle is releasably held by either the suture shuttle dock or the retractable tissue penetrator; extending the tissue penetrator through the tissue from a retracted position; transferring the suture shuttle between the suture shuttle dock and the retractable tissue penetrator; retracting the tissue penetrator through the tissue; repositioning the tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw of the suture passer; extending the tissue penetrator through the tissue; and transferring the suture shuttle between the suture shuttle dock and the retractable tissue penetrator. - View Dependent Claims (61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method of passing a suture comprising:
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expanding a tissue clamping region of a suture passer, wherein the tissue clamping region has a first jaw with a first tissue-contacting surface and a second jaw with a second tissue-contacting surface, so that the first tissue-contacting surface and the second, tissue-contacting surface are substantially parallel; positioning a tissue between the first and second jaws; clamping the tissue between the first and second jaws; extending a retractable tissue penetrator into the tissue from the first jaw after clamping the tissue between the first and second jaws; engaging a suture shuttle with the tissue penetrator; and retracting the tissue penetrator and pulling the suture shuttle through the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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82. A continuous suture passer comprising:
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a first jaw and a second jaw; a handle including a jaw control to manipulate at least one jaw; a first suture shuttle dock functionally connected to the first jaw and a second suture shuttle dock functionally connected to the second jaw, wherein the first and second suture shuttle docks are configured to releasably secure a suture shuttle so that the suture shuttle may be passed between the first and second jaws;
further wherein the first suture shuttle dock includes a suture passage to at least partially guide a suture connected to the suture shuttle when the suture shuttle is engaged with the first suture shuttle dock. - View Dependent Claims (83, 84, 85, 86, 87)
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Specification