MEDICAL SUTURING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR USE THEREOF

• US 20090240264A1
• Filed: 03/18/2008
• Published: 09/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Ventor Technologies LTD. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Ventor Technologies LTD. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Tuval, Yosi, Benary, Raphael
• Granted Patent: US 8,696,689 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 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06076 helically or spirally coiled for sutures A61B2017/06171

Abstract

A suturing device for use with a delivery catheter in a transcatheter procedure, for closing an opening formed in the body. The suturing device comprises: a spiral needle having a central core, a proximal end, and a distal end. The distal end terminates in a sharp point for cutting a spiral passageway through body tissue surrounding the opening that is to be closed. The device also includes a guide wire having a suture eye at one end thereof for receiving suture thread after the guide wire has been advanced through the hollow central core of the spiral needle. The device further includes driving means, for allowing advancing and retracting of the spiral needle and guide wire with respect to the catheter, and for allowing connecting between the suture thread and the suture eye of the guide wire. The present invention also relates to a method for closing an opening formed in the body using a transcatheter procedure.

Claims

1. A suturing device for use with a delivery catheter in a transcatheter procedure, for closing an opening formed in body tissue, said suturing device comprising:

(a) a spiral needle having a hollow central core, a proximal end, and a distal end, said distal end terminating in a sharp point forming an aperture of said hollow core, for cutting a spiral passageway through body tissue surrounding said opening to be closed;

(b) a guide wire having a suture eye at one end thereof for receiving suture thread at said distal end after said guide wire has been advanced through said hollow central core of said spiral needle, and

(c) driving means, for rotatably advancing and retracting said spiral needle and guide wire with respect to said catheter,

such that when said device is rotatably advanced with respect to said body tissue opening, a connection can be made between said suture thread and said suture eye of said guide wire,

thus enabling formation of a spiral suture as said device is rotatably retracted.

2. The device of claim 1, for use in closing an opening formed in the apex of the heart during a transcatheter valve implantation procedure.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said body tissue opening is formed by a lateral surgical incision.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said body tissue opening is formed by an internal wound.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said spiral needle surrounds said catheter, through which said suture thread is delivered for connection to said guide wire suture eye.

6. The device of claim 5 further comprising a hollow flexible tube for delivering said suture thread through said catheter, said hollow tube having a curved distal end to direct said suture thread against said spiral needle for connection with said guide wire suture eye.

7. A method for closing an opening formed in the body using a transcatheter procedure, comprising;

(a) providing a spiral needle mountable around the exterior of a delivery catheter, the spiral needle having a central core, a proximal end, and a distal end, the distal end terminating in a sharp point for cutting a spiral passageway through body tissue surrounding the opening to be closed;

(b) providing driving means coupled to the spiral needle for driving said spiral needle with respect to the catheter;

(c) loading and advancing said spiral needle on the catheter to the site of an opening to be sutured;

(d) cutting a spiral passageway through body tissue surrounding the opening using said spiral needle;

(e) inserting a guide wire through said spiral needles, said guide wire having a suture hook at the end thereof for receiving suture thread;

(f) introducing the first end of a suture thread through the inside of said catheter until said first end becomes exposed at the end of said catheter;

(g) connecting said first end of said suture thread to said suture hook of the guide wire;

(h) retracting said spiral needle and guide wire back through said spiral passageway formed in the body tissue such that the suture thread becomes threaded through the spiral passageway;

(i) withdrawing said spiral needle from said suture site, and

(j) joining said first end of the suture thread to the second end of the suture thread.

8. The method of claim 7, for use in closing an opening formed in the apex of the heart during a transcatheter valve implantation procedure.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising advancing a flexible tube through the interior of the catheter, wherein in step (f), said suture thread is advanced through said flexible tube.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein step (h) comprises retracting said guide wire and attached suture thread said spiral needle and subsequently retracting said spiral needle from said spiral passageway.