IN-LINE SUTURE PASSER AND METHOD OF PASSING SUTURE

• US 20090062819A1
• Filed: 08/27/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Arthrex Incorporated
• Inventors: Weber, Robert M., Burkhart, Stephen S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,663,251 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/148
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00349 Needle-like instruments having hook or barb-like gripping means, e.g. for grasping suture or tissue A61B17/06066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2925 Pistol grips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws

Abstract

An apparatus and method for passing suture in tissue repair and other surgical procedures. The apparatus includes a pair of jaws mounted on a distal end of a shaft, a handle assembly mounted on a proximal end of the shaft, and a needle mounted on the handle assembly and through a cannulation of the shaft. A suture is placed in a slot at the tip of the lower jaw. By advancing the needle relative to the body of the instrument, the needle is pushed forward to capture the suture and to pull it through the tissue to be sutured in a direction about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

Claims

1. A suture passing instrument comprising:

a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end;

a first jaw member integral to the distal end of the shaft, the first jaw member having a passage for receiving a needle and a distal opening to allow the needle to pass therethrough;

a second jaw member mounted to the distal end of the shaft and pivotally connected to the first jaw member such that the second jaw member is moveable with respect to the first jaw member from an open position to a closed position, the second jaw member comprising a securing mechanism to secure a suture at its most distal end, the securing mechanism being located in a same plane as the opening of the first jaw member when the second jaw member is in the closed position; and

a handle assembly configured to move the needle from a first position to a second position, and to move the second jaw member with respect to the first jaw member.

2. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism is a transversal slot.

3. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein the securing mechanism is a hook.

4. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein the suture is pulled by the needle in a direction about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

5. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein, in the second position, the needle is advanced in a direction about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

6. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein the handle assembly comprises a handle and a trigger mechanism, wherein the handle comprises a proximal member and a distal member, and wherein the trigger mechanism comprises a finger lever being pivotally connected to the distal member of the handle.

7. The suture passing instrument of claim 1, wherein the needle is provided with a sharp tip and a hook.

8. A method of suturing tissue with a suture passing instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

positioning a suture strand in a jaw of the suture passing instrument;

advancing a needle of the suture passing instrument in a first direction, toward the suture strand; and

subsequently, advancing the suture strand and the needle, in a second direction which is opposite the first direction.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first direction and the second direction coincide with a longitudinal axis of the instrument.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of:

loading the suture strand in a slot of a first jaw of the instrument;

actuating a first handle mechanism to bring the first jaw of the instrument in line with a second jaw of the instrument and with a longitudinal axis of the instrument;

actuating a second handle mechanism to advance the needle in the first direction to capture the suture strand with a hook of the needle; and

releasing the second handle mechanism to advance the needle with the captured suture in the second direction.

11. A method of passing suture through tissue, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a suture passing instrument, the suture passing instrument comprising;

a shaft having a longitudinal axis, a distal end and a proximal end;

a first jaw integral to the distal end of the shaft and comprising a channel for receiving a needle and a distal opening to allow the needle to pass therethrough;

a second jaw mounted to the distal end of the shaft and pivotally connected to the first jaw such that the second jaw is moveable with respect to the first jaw, the second jaw comprising two side slots configured to retain a suture thereon; and

a handle assembly comprising a handle and a trigger mechanism;

loading the suture onto the side slots of the second jaw;

mounting the needle in the suture passing instrument by sliding the needle through a cannulation in the proximal end of the shaft such that a distal end of the needle is on the distal end of the shaft;

actuating the trigger mechanism of the handle assembly to bring the second jaw in line with the first jaw and in line with the longitudinal axis;

actuating the handle of the handle assembly to advance the needle toward the slots of the second jaw and in a direction about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, to engage the suture in a hook of the needle; and

releasing the handle of the handle assembly to pull back the needle with the hooked suture in a direction about parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and away from the slots in the second jaw.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

capturing the suture with the hook of the needle; and

retracting the needle with the hooked suture back through the tissue.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the needle is a nitinol needle.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of advancing the needle and suture through the tissue further comprises:

advancing the needle by pushing proximal and distal members of the handle toward each other until the needle exits the distal opening on the first jaw and advances toward the second jaw;

capturing the suture with the hook of the needle and firmly holding the suture in the hook; and

pulling the needle and the suture through the tissue.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the suture is a braided suture comprising a plurality of high strength fibers.