Surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue
First Claim
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1. A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
- first and second jaws, the first and second jaws being relatively movable between an open and closed position;
a first needle retaining section having a first securing mechanism mounted therein, the first section being removably mounted to the first jaw;
a surgical needle retained in the first needle retaining section by the first securing mechanism;
a second needle retaining section having a second securing mechanism mounted therein, the second section being removably mounted to the second jaw;
wherein the surgical needle is transferable between the first and second sections such that the surgical needle can be retained by the respective securing mechanism.
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Abstract
A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising first and second jaws relatively movable between an open and closed position, a first needle retaining section having a first securing mechanism mounted therein removably mounted to the first jaw, and a second needle retaining section having a second securing mechanism mounted therein removably mounted to the second jaw. The surgical needle is transferable between the first and second sections upon closing of the jaws such that the surgical needle can be retained in either of the first and second sections by the respective securing mechanism.
257 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
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first and second jaws, the first and second jaws being relatively movable between an open and closed position; a first needle retaining section having a first securing mechanism mounted therein, the first section being removably mounted to the first jaw; a surgical needle retained in the first needle retaining section by the first securing mechanism; a second needle retaining section having a second securing mechanism mounted therein, the second section being removably mounted to the second jaw; wherein the surgical needle is transferable between the first and second sections such that the surgical needle can be retained by the respective securing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
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first and second jaws, the first and second jaws being relatively movable between an open and closed position; a first needle retaining section having a first securing mechanism mounted therein, the first section being removably mounted to the first jaw; a surgical needle retained in the first needle retaining section by the first securing mechanism; a second needle retaining section having a second securing mechanism mounted therein, the second section being removably mounted to the second jaw; the first needle securing mechanism including a first flexible spring movable between a clamping position to secure the surgical needle in the first section and a release position to release the surgical needle from the first section; the second needle securing mechanism including a second flexible spring movable between a clamping position to secure the surgical needle in the second section and a release position to release the surgical needle from the second section; and a toggle link mounted in the second section for reciprocal movement to alternately move the first and second flexible springs between the clamping and release positions, wherein the surgical needle is transferable between the first and second sections such that the surgical needle can be retained by the respective securing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
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first and second jaws, the first and second jaws being relatively movable between an open and closed position; a first needle retaining section having a first securing mechanism mounted therein, the first section being removably mounted to the first jaw; a surgical needle retained in the first needle retaining section by the first securing mechanism; a second needle retaining section having a second securing mechanism mounted therein, the second section being removably mounted to the second jaw; the first and second securing mechanisms each comprising a leaf spring, each of the leaf springs movable between a clamping position to secure the surgical needle in the respective needle retaining section and a release position to release the surgical needle from the respective needle retaining section; and a reciprocating member movable between a first position and a second position, wherein movement of the reciprocating member to the first position moves the first leaf spring to the clamping position and the second leaf spring to the release position, and movement of the reciprocating member to the second position moves the leaf spring to the release position and the second leaf spring to the clamping position, wherein the surgical needle is transferable between the first and second sections such that the surgical needle can be retained by the respective securing mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
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a first arm and a second arm the first arm movable between a first position spaced apart from the second arm and a second position adjacent the second arm; a surgical needle loading unit mounted to at least the first arm, the loading unit including a surgical needle and a surgical needle retaining mechanism to secure the surgical needle in at least the first arm and to allow transfer of the surgical needle between the first and second arms, the needle loading unit including a first section removably attached to the first arm and a second section removably attached to the second arm, each of the first and second sections including a guide rail for mounting the respective first and second sections within a corresponding slot formed in the first and second arms, respectively, wherein the surgical needle loading unit is detachably connected to a distal portion of at least the first arm to allow removal and replacement of the loading unit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20)
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21. A surgical needle loading unit for attachment to a surgical apparatus having first and second arms for suturing body tissue, the loading unit comprising:
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a first section having a first needle securing mechanism movable between a needle clamping position to retain the needle in the first section and a second position to release the needle from the first section, the first section being detachably mounted to the first arm; a second section having a second needle securing mechanism movable between a needle clamping position to retain the needle in the second section and a release position to release the needle from the second section, the second section being detachably mounted to the second arm; and an actuator positioned in one of the first and second sections and operatively associated with the first and second needle securing members, the actuator alternately moving the first and second needle securing mechanisms between respective clamping and release positions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A surgical apparatus for suturing body tissue comprising:
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a first jaw and a second jaw; a first needle retaining section having a first needle securing mechanism mounted therein, the first section being removably mounted to the first jaw; and a second needle retaining section having a second needle securing mechanism mounted therein, the second section being fixedly mounted to the second jaw, wherein a surgical needle is transferrable from the first section to the second section and from the second section to the first section such that the surgical needle can be retained by the respective securing mechanism.
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Specification