SUTURE PASSER

• US 20110118760A1
• Filed: 11/16/2009
• Published: 05/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: ArthroCare Corporation (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: White, George W., Gregoire, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,211,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/145
• 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 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/29 Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip

Abstract

A suturing device for grasping soft tissue and placing stitches in soft tissue during endoscopic procedures is described. An elongate housing with a stationary jaw and a movable jaw disposed at the distal end are configured for grasping and releasing soft tissue. A movable needle disposed within the housing is actuated to engage a length of suture and drive the suture into and through the grasped soft tissue. A suture capture member is disposed on the movable jaw and is configured to allow passage of the needle therethrough while securing a portion of the stitched length of suture.

Claims

1. A suturing device for use endoscopically, comprising:

a first and second jaw member, the first and second jaw members being disposed at a distal end of the device;

a housing disposed between the handle and the first and second jaw members;

a needle disposed in the housing and movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the needle is operable to engage a length of suture; and

a suture capture member disposed on one of the first and second jaw members, wherein the suture capture member comprises an aperture defined by first and second arms each having a suture capture surface, and wherein the first and second arms are operable to be elastically deflected outward by the needle when in the extended position, and such that a portion of the length of suture is captured between the first and second arms upon the needle being returned to the retracted position.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first and second jaw members are actuatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

3. The device of claim 1, further comprising a suture recess disposed proximate the first and second jaw members, wherein the suture recess is configured to engage the length of suture while the needle is in the retracted position.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the suture capture surface comprises a plurality of teeth.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the suture capture surface comprises a serrated edge.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the needle comprises a preformed curved region in a distal needle region.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the needle comprises nitinol.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the suture capture cartridge comprises high temper spring steel.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein moving the needle between the retracted position and the extended position further comprises displacing the needle through a tissue receiving area.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the suture capture member comprises a suture capture cartridge removably disposed on one of the first and second jaw members.

11. A suturing device for use endoscopically, comprising:

a first jaw member;

a second jaw member, wherein the first and second jaw members are disposed at a distal end of the device, and wherein the second jaw member is movable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

a suturing needle disposed in a housing, wherein the suturing needle is operable to engage a length of suture;

a suture capture member disposed in the second jaw member, wherein the suture capture member comprises an aperture defined by first and second deflectable portions, and wherein the first and second deflectable portions comprise first and second suture engaging surfaces operable to capture a portion of the length of suture and prevent the portion from disengaging the suture capture member; and

wherein the suturing needle is movable within the housing and through the aperture in the suture capture member.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein the first jaw member comprises a suture recess portion engageable with the length of suture.

13. The device of claim 11, further comprising a tissue receiving area defined between the first jaw member and the second jaw member.

14. The device of claim 11, wherein the needle comprises nitinol.

15. The device of claim 11, wherein the first and second suture engaging surfaces comprise a serrated edge.

16. The device of claim 11, wherein the suture capture cartridge comprises high temper spring steel.

17. The device of claim 11, wherein the needle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position.

18. The device of claim 11, wherein the suturing needle comprises a preformed curved region.

19. The device of claim 11, wherein the second jaw member comprises an opening.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the suture capture member comprises a suture capture cartridge removably disposed in the opening.

21. A suturing device for deploying a length of suture, the suturing device comprising:

an elongate housing;

a tissue receiving area disposed at a distal end of the housing, wherein the tissue receiving area is defined between a first jaw member and a second jaw member;

a suture recess disposed within the tissue receiving area, wherein the suture recess is operable to engage a length of suture;

a suture capture member disposed in the second jaw member;

a needle disposed within the housing, wherein the needle is movable through the tissue receiving area, and wherein the needle comprises a suture holding area, the suture holding area operable to engage the length of suture; and

wherein the needle is configured to pass through an aperture in the suture capture member such that a deflecting portion of the suture capture member is elastically deflected to allow passage of the needle, and wherein the length of suture captured in the suture holding area is positioned to protrude away from the suture capture member in a looped configuration and is fixedly secured between the deflecting portion.

22. The device of claim 21, wherein the second jaw member is actuatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration.

23. The device of claim 21, wherein the needle comprises nitinol.

24. The device of claim 21, wherein the deflecting portion further comprises a suture capture surface.

25. The device of claim 24, wherein the suture capture surface comprises a serrated edge.

26. The device of claim 21, wherein the suture capture member comprises high temper spring steel.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the needle comprises a preformed curved region.

28. The device of claim 21, wherein the second jaw member comprises an opening.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the suture capture member comprises a suture capture cartridge removably disposed in the opening.

30. A suturing device for grasping tissue and deploying a length of suture into the tissue, the suturing device comprising:

an elongate housing;

a stationary jaw member, wherein the stationary jaw member comprises a suture recess engageable with the length of suture;

a movable jaw member, wherein the movable jaw member is pivotably coupled with the elongate housing, the movable jaw member actuatable between an open configuration and a closed configuration;

a tissue receiving area defined between the stationary jaw member and the movable jaw member;

a needle disposed in the housing, the needle comprising a preformed curved region, wherein the needle is extendable and retractable through the tissue receiving area, and wherein the needle comprises a suture holding area operable to engage the length of suture; and

a suture capture member disposed in the movable jaw member, wherein the suture capture member comprises an aperture, wherein the needle and the length of suture are extendable through a deflecting portion of the aperture, and wherein the deflecting portion of the aperture is configured to prevent a portion of the length of suture from passing back through the suture capture member.

31. The device of claim 30, wherein the needle comprises nitinol.

32. The device of claim 30, wherein the suture capture cartridge comprises high temper spring steel.

33. The device of claim 30, wherein the deflecting portion further comprises a suture capture surface.

34. The device of claim 33, wherein the suture capture surface comprises a serrated edge.

35. The device of claim 30, wherein the movable jaw member comprises an opening.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein the suture capture member comprises a suture capture cartridge removably disposed in the opening.