Suturing device with tissue sealant dispenser

• US 20090112256A1
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Wood, Victoria Y. H., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Smith, Michael A., Weaver, Thomas A., Myhrvold, Nathan P., Tegreene, Clarence T., Boyden, Edward S., Whitmer, Charles, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Leuthardt, Eric C.
• Application Number:
  US11/981,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/214
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00491 Surgical glue applicators surgical adhesives A61L24/00; two-component delivery syringes A61M5/19
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/072 for applying a row of staples in a single action , e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/320016 Endoscopic cutting instruments, e.g. arthroscopes, resectoscopes A61B10/0233, A61B17/29, A61B17/3207 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00022 Sensing or detecting at the treatment site
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00199 with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00221 with wireless transmission of data, e.g. by infrared radiation or radiowaves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00495 for two-component glue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00893 pharmaceutically effective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0647 having one single leg, e.g. tacks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07214 Stapler heads
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07278 characterised by its sled or its staple holder
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible

Abstract

The present invention discloses a medical device comprising a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds, the dispenser being operably coupled to a surgical suturing device, which in turn is configured to deliver one or more surgical sutures or fasteners in an area of bodily tissue approximation surface. Furthermore, the medical device comprises a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds thereof, the dispenser being operably coupled to a surgical cutter. Additionally or alternatively the medical; device can include a microactuation mechanism, whereby the dispenser dispenses the tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds at a surgical cutting site or in a proximity thereof.

Claims

1. A medical device, comprising:

a dispenser adapted to dispense a tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds, the dispenser being operably coupled to a surgical suturing device, wherein the surgical suturing device is configured to deliver one or more surgical sutures or fasteners in an area of bodily tissue approximation surface; and

wherein the dispenser is adapted to dispense automatically or semi-automatically the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds on a suture or in proximity to a suture before or after each suturing.

2. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the one or more surgical sutures or fasteners have at least one coating or covering containing the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

3. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant is formed through at least one reaction that includes one or more of the one or more precursor compounds.

4. The medical device of claim 3, wherein the at least one reaction includes one of a reaction or a reaction with endogenous substrates, interaction with an endogenous clotting cascade of a bloodstream, a photo reaction with either a endogenously-generated photons or photons generated external to a bodily tissue or a thermally-driven reaction or a catalytically-activated reaction.

5. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the suturing device includes any one of a surgical stapling device, a surgical fastening device, a trocar suturing device, a surgical sewing needle, a tissue-gripping surgical tool, a surgical sewing machine, a surgical stitching device or a catheter device.

6. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the suturing device is physically associated with the dispenser.

7. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the automatically or semi-automatically dispensing tissue sealant on a suture or in proximity to a suture includes mechanical power-driven dispensing or manually-driven dispensing.

8. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is operably configured to dispense microfluidic amounts of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

9. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more micropipettes that dispense the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

10. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more micron-sized outlet ports that dispense the tissue sealant or one or more precursor compounds.

11. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more microchips containing the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

12. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more arrays of microchips containing more than one type of tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

13. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser includes one or more arrays of micropipettes that dispense more than one type of tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

14. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser dispenses the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds in a manner that blocks or seals or adheres to the one or more surgical sutures or fasteners.

15. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the dispenser is configured to dispense the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds in a manner whereby the one or more surgical sutures or fasteners are covered with the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds.

16. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of antibacterial agents, anti-infection agents, angiogenic factors, growth factors, blood coagulants, antimicrobial agents, anti-inflammatory agents, radioctive elements, pharmaceuticals, drugs or compounds.

17. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds reduces scar formation in body tissue.

18. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of an acrylic acid-derivative.

19. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds include at least one of a hydrogel, an alginate, a zymogen, a glutaraldehyde-treated protein, a cross-linked protein, a cross-linked carbohydrate or a cross-linked fatty acid derivative.

20. The medical device of claim 1, wherein the medical device further comprises at least one sensor.

21. The medical device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to regulate dispensing of an amount of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds that are dispensed by the dispenser.

22. The medical device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to regulate at least one type of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds that are dispensed by the dispenser.

23. The medical device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor is adapted to sense the amount or level of the tissue sealant or the one or more precursor compounds that are in the medical device.

24. The medical device of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor includes a proximity detector.

25. The medical device of claim 24, wherein the proximity detector provides a signal or datum pertaining to a position of the one or more surgical sutures or fasteners.