METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PASSING SUTURE THROUGH TISSUE

• US 20140012292A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 01/09/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Pivot Medical, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Pisarnwongs, Roger, Flom, James, Stewart, Daren, Kelly, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,098,631 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 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 2017/00862 elastic or resilient for sutures A61B2017/0618
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00867 shape memory effect for prostheses A61F2210/0014
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/306 holding by means of suction

Abstract

A suture passer comprising:

• • a hollow tube, the hollow tube comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and
  • a clamping rod slidably received in the lumen of the hollow tube, the clamping rod comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being bifurcated into a first arm and a second arm, one of the first and second arms extending distally of the other of the first and second arms and including a clamping surface;
    • wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm comprises a friction-enhancing surface for facilitating manipulation of a suture via engagement of the suture with the friction-enhancing surface.

Claims

1. A suture passer comprising:

a hollow tube, the hollow tube comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and

a clamping rod slidably received in the lumen of the hollow tube, the clamping rod comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being bifurcated into a first arm and a second arm, one of the first and second arms extending distally of the other of the first and second arms and including a clamping surface;

wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm comprises a friction-enhancing surface for facilitating manipulation of a suture via engagement of the suture with the friction-enhancing surface.

2. A suture passer according to claim 1 wherein the friction-enhancing surface comprises a plurality of suture-engaging projections.

3. A suture passer according to claim 1 wherein the friction-enhancing surface is disposed on a distal side of the at least one of the first arm and the second arm.

4. A suture passer according to claim 1 wherein the friction-enhancing surface is disposed on a proximal side of the at least one of the first arm and the second arm.

5. A suture passer according to claim 1 wherein the friction-enhancing surface is disposed on a lateral side of the at least one of the first arm and the second arm.

6. A suture passer according to claim 1 wherein the hollow tube comprises a window formed in the sidewall of the hollow tube, the window communicating with the lumen, and further wherein at least one of the first and second arms is outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm extends outwardly through the window.

7. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the first arm includes the clamping surface and the second arm is outwardly biased.

8. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the first arm and the second arm are both outwardly biased.

9. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the clamping surface faces proximally.

10. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the distal end of the first arm is substantially blunt.

11. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the distal end of the first arm is pointed.

12. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the second arm is outwardly biased so as to extend at an angle of 10-120 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube in the region of the window when the second arm extends out of the window.

13. A suture passer according to claim 12 wherein the second arm is outwardly biased so as to extend at an angle of 30-90 degrees to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tube in the region of the window when the second arm extends out of the window.

14. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the distal end of the first arm projects out of the hollow tube when the second arm projects out of the window.

15. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the first arm includes the clamping surface and the first arm is outwardly biased.

16. A suture passer according to claim 6 wherein the first arm includes the clamping surface and both the first and second arms are outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal ends of the first and second arms are adjacent to the window, the distal ends of the first and second arms extend outwardly through the window.

17. A method for passing suture through an object, the method comprising:

providing a suture passer comprising;

a hollow tube, the hollow tube comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and

a clamping rod slidably received in the lumen of the hollow tube, the clamping rod comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being bifurcated into a first arm and a second arm, one of the first and second arms extending distally of the other of the first and second arms and including a clamping surface;

wherein at least one of the first arm and the second arm comprises a friction-enhancing surface for facilitating manipulation of a suture via engagement of the suture with the friction-enhancing surface;

positioning the clamping rod so that at least one of the first arm and the second arm extends out of the hollow tube;

manipulating a suture via engagement of the suture with the friction-enhancing surface on the at least one of the first arm and the second arm;

positioning at least one of the suture passer and the suture so that the suture is disposed between the first arm and the second arm;

moving the clamping rod proximally so that the clamping surface clamps the suture to the hollow tube; and

moving the suture passer so that the suture is passed through the object.

18. A method according to claim 17 wherein the hollow tube comprises a window formed in the sidewall of the hollow tube, the window communicating with the lumen, and further wherein at least one of the first and second arms is outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm extends outwardly through the window.

19. A suture passer comprising:

a hollow tube, the hollow tube comprising a pointed distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and

a clamping rod slidably received in the lumen of the hollow tube, the clamping rod comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being bifurcated into a first arm and a second arm, the first arm extending distally of the second arm and including a clamping surface, and the second arm being outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally, the distal end of the second arm extends laterally of the hollow tube, and wherein the second arm is configured to releasably hold a suture to the distal end of the second arm.

20. A suture passer according to claim 19 wherein the distal end of the second arm comprises a recess for releasably seating a suture therein.

21. A suture passer according to claim 20 wherein the recess is formed by a first finger and an opposing second finger, with the suture being releasably seated between the first finger and the second finger.

22. A suture passer according to claim 21 wherein the first finger and the second finger have substantially equal lengths.

23. A suture passer according to claim 21 wherein the second finger is shorter than the first finger.

24. A suture passer according to claim 21 wherein the second finger is proximal to the first finger when the clamping rod is moved distally.

25. A suture passer according to claim 19 wherein the second arm comprises a finger projecting from the distal end of the second arm.

26. A suture passer according to claim 25 wherein the finger is disposed to sit laterally adjacent to a suture engaging the distal end of the second arm.

27. A suture passer according to claim 19 wherein the distal end of the second arm comprises a spike for releasably engaging a suture.

28. A suture passer according to claim 19 wherein the hollow tube comprises a window formed in the sidewall of the hollow tube, the window communicating with the lumen, and further wherein at least one of the first and second arms is outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm extends outwardly through the window.

29. A suture passer according to claim 28 wherein the second arm is outwardly biased so that when the distal end of the second arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the second arm extends outwardly through the window.

30. A suture passer according to claim 29 wherein the first arm is outwardly biased so that when the distal end of the first arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the first arm extends outwardly through the window.

31. A method for passing suture through an object, the method comprising:

providing a suture passer comprising;

a hollow tube, the hollow tube comprising a pointed distal end, a proximal end and a lumen extending from the distal end to the proximal end; and

a clamping rod slidably received in the lumen of the hollow tube, the clamping rod comprising a distal end and a proximal end, the distal end being bifurcated into a first arm and a second arm, the first arm extending distally of the second arm and including a clamping surface, and the second arm being outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal end of the second arm extends out of the distal end of the hollow tube, the distal end of the second arm extends laterally of the hollow tube, and wherein the second arm is configured to releasably hold a suture to the distal end thereof;

positioning the clamping rod so that the second arm extends out of the distal end of the hollow tube;

positioning at least one of the suture passer and the suture so that the suture is disposed between the clamping surface and the distal end of the hollow tube;

moving the clamping rod proximally so that the clamping surface clamps the suture to the hollow tube;

moving the suture passer so that the suture is passed through the object; and

moving the clamping rod distally so that the distal end of the second arm moves the suture away from the hollow tube.

32. A method according to claim 31 wherein the distal end of the second arm comprises a recess for releasably seating a suture therein.

33. A method according to claim 32 wherein the recess is formed by a first finger and an opposing second finger, with the suture being releasably seated between the first finger and the second finger.

34. A method according to claim 33 wherein the first finger and the second finger have substantially equal lengths.

35. A method according to claim 33 wherein the second finger is shorter than the first finger.

36. A method according to claim 31 wherein the distal end of the second arm comprises a spike for releasably engaging a suture.

37. A method according to claim 31 wherein the hollow tube comprises a window formed in the sidewall of the hollow tube, the window communicating with the lumen, and further wherein at least one of the first and second arms is outwardly biased such that when the clamping rod is moved distally so that the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the at least one outwardly biased arm extends outwardly through the window.

38. A method according to claim 37 wherein the second arm is outwardly biased so that when the distal end of the second arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the second arm extends outwardly through the window.

39. A method according to claim 38 wherein the first arm is outwardly biased so that when the distal end of the first arm is adjacent to the window, the distal end of the first arm extends outwardly through the window.