Suture Passer With Tissue Reinforcement Positioner

• US 20150173743A1
• Filed: 12/20/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Biomet Manufacturing, LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Biomet Sports Medicine LLC (Zimmer Biomet Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: PALESE, Christopher, STONE, Kevin T., TOPPER, Brad, VALADEZ, John
• Granted Patent: US 9,687,225 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0406 Pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0409 Instruments for applying suture anchors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/044 with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0495 Reinforcements for suture lines
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06095 pliable
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49815 Disassembling

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a suture passer device that includes a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft, and a suturing head extending from the shaft and configured to retain tissue. The handle is operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained in the suturing head. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the suture passer device includes a quick-connect mechanism releasably connecting the shaft to the handle. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft pivotally coupled to the first shaft, and the first shaft defines a first channel for receiving the second shaft. Methods of disassembling the suture passer device are also described.

Claims

1. A suture passer device comprising:

a handle;

a shaft extending from the handle;

a quick-connect mechanism releasably connecting the shaft to the handle;

a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft; and

a suturing head extending from the shaft and configured to retain tissue, the handle being operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained in the suturing head.

2. The suture passer device of claim 1 wherein the quick-connect mechanism includes a bayonet mount.

3. The suture passer device of claim 2 wherein the handle defines a channel for receiving a proximal end of the shaft.

4. The suture passer device of claim 3 wherein the handle includes pins extending into the channel and the shaft defines one of a J-shaped slot and an L-shaped slot configured to receive the pins.

5. The suture passer device of claim 4 further comprising a spring that biases the shaft away from the handle to maintain engagement between the pins and the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot when the pins are inserted into the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot.

6. The suture passer device of claim 3 wherein the shaft includes pins disposed on opposite sides of the shaft and the handle defines one of a J-shaped slot and an L-shaped slot configured to receive the pins.

7. The suture passer device of claim 6 further comprising a spring that biases the shaft away from the handle to maintain engagement between the pins and the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot when the pins are inserted into the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot.

8. The suture passer device of claim 1 wherein the suturing head includes a tissue reinforcement member holder for positioning a tissue reinforcement member such that the suture carrier passes through the tissue reinforcement member as the suture carrier is advanced through the suturing head.

9. A suture passer device comprising:

a handle;

a shaft assembly extending from the handle, the shaft assembly including a first shaft and a second shaft pivotally coupled to the first shaft, the first shaft defining a first channel for receiving the second shaft;

a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft assembly; and

a suturing head extending from the shaft assembly, the suturing head including a first jaw and a second jaw, the handle being operable to actuate at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw to retain tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, the handle also being operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained between the first and second jaws.

10. The suture passer device of claim 9 wherein the handle includes a first handle, a second handle, and a trigger, the suture carrier being coupled to the second handle such that applying the second handle advances the suture carrier, the trigger being coupled to the first jaw such that applying the trigger moves the first jaw toward the second jaw.

11. The suture passer device of claim 10 wherein the second shaft defines a slot that receives a portion of the trigger such that applying the trigger moves the second shaft distally relative to the first shaft.

12. The suture passer device of claim 11 wherein the second shaft defines a second channel that cooperates with the first channel of the first shaft to define a fully enclosed channel for guiding the suture carrier.

13. The suture passer device of claim 12 wherein a distal end of the first shaft forms the second jaw and the first jaw is pivotally coupled to the first and second shafts such that moving the second shaft distally pivots the first jaw toward the second jaw.

14. The suture passer device of claim 13 wherein the handle includes a first spring that biases the second handle away from the first handle such that the suture carrier retracts when the second handle is released.

15. The suture passer device of claim 14 wherein the shaft assembly includes a second spring that biases the second shaft in a proximal direction such that the first jaw pivots away from the second jaw when the trigger is released.

16. The suture passer device of claim 15 wherein the first spring has a first spring rate and the second spring has a second spring rate that is less than the first spring rate.

17. A method of disassembling a suture passer device, comprising:

disconnecting a shaft assembly of the suture passer device from a handle of the suture passer device; and

removing an inner shaft of the shaft assembly from a channel formed in an outer shaft of the shaft assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein disconnecting the shaft assembly from the handle includes rotating the shaft assembly and moving the shaft assembly axially away from the handle to disengage pins of the handle from at least one of a J-shaped slot and a L-shaped slot formed in the shaft assembly.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein removing the inner shaft from the channel formed in the outer shaft includes pivoting the inner shaft away from the outer shaft.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising sterilizing the shaft assembly after disconnecting the shaft assembly from the handle and removing the inner shaft from the channel formed in the outer shaft.