Suture passing forceps

• US 5,730,747 A
• Filed: 02/22/1996
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Smith & Nephew Incorporated (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Walton, Richard E., Ek, Steven W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): RASCHE, PATRICK WILLIAM
• Application Number:
  US08/603,859
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/145, 606/146, 606/147, 606/148, 606/222, 606/223, 606/224
• 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 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0625 the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator A61B17/06109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0454 the anchor being crimped or clamped on the suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0458 Longitudinal through hole, e.g. suture blocked by a distal suture knot
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0488 Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws

Abstract

A suture passing forceps includes an axially elongated support shaft, and a first suture holder for removably holding a needled suture and a second suture holder for capturing the needled suture. The first suture holder includes a suture inlet through which at least part of the suture can be passed. The first suture holder or the second suture holder is an actuatable member which pivots toward an operating position to capture the needled suture in the second suture holder and pivots away from the operating position to remove the suture from the first suture holder. The suture inlet in the suture holder enables complete removal of the suture from the suture holder when the actuatable member and the needled suture move away from the operating position. The second suture holder includes a holding region defined by a contoured surface permitting the needled suture to slide within the holding region.

Claims

1. A suture passing forceps, comprising:

an axially elongated support shaft, and

a suturing assembly at a distal end of said support shaft, including

a first suture holder supported by said support shaft for removably holding a needled suture, said first suture holder including a suture inlet through which at least part of the suture can be passed, and

a second suture holder supported by said support shaft for passively capturing said needled suture, said second suture holder including a holding region having a spring force for removably holding a needle of the needled suture, said holding region partially defined by a ledge extending along the holding region and configured to permit the held needle to slide, in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle, in a pivoting manner within the holding region,

one of said first suture holder and said second suture holder being an actuatable member pivotably supported for movement toward and away from an operating position to passively capture said needled suture in said second suture holder as the actuatable member moves toward the operating position, and to remove the needled suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member moves away from said operating position, said suture inlet in said first suture holder enabling complete removal of the suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member and said needled suture move away from said operating position.

2. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said second suture holder comprises said actuatable member.

3. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said first suture holder includes a holding region for removably holding a needle of the needled suture.

4. The suture passing forceps of claim 3 wherein said first suture holder includes a jaw and said suture inlet is defined by a slot of a selected width in said jaw through which a suture thread of the needled suture can pass, said holding region being defined by an enlarged section of said slot into which the needle of the needled suture can be placed.

5. The suture passing forceps of claim 4 wherein said holding region is oriented at an angle of about 90 degrees to an axis of said support shaft.

6. The suture passing forceps of claim 4 wherein said enlarged section of said slot is oriented to hold the needle at an outward angle of about 5 to 10 degrees to an axis normal to a longitudinal axis of the support shaft.

7. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said holding region defines a passive spring fit.

8. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said second suture holder includes a jaw defining a slot of a selected width, said holding region being defined by an enlarged section of said slot into which at least a portion of the needle can be spring fit, the relative sizes of said needle and said enlarged section of said holding region defining, in part, said spring force.

9. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 further including a handle at a proximal end of said support shaft, said handle being actuatable to move said actuatable member toward and away from its operating position.

10. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said second suture holder further comprises a window enabling a user to confirm that the suture has been passed from said first suture holder to said second suture holder.

11. The suture passing forceps of claim 1 wherein said first and second suture holders include inner surfaces that aid in preventing tissue hang-up thereon.

12. A suture passing forceps, comprising:

an axially elongated support shaft, and

a suturing assembly at a distal end of said support shaft, including

a suture holder supported by said support shaft and including a jaw and a suture inlet defined by a slot of a selected width in said jaw through which a suture thread of the needled suture can pass, and a holding region defined by an enlarged section of said slot for removably holding a needle of a needled suture, and

an actuatable member pivotably supported for movement toward and away from an operating position to passively capture said needled suture as the actuatable member moves toward the operating position, and to remove the needled suture from said suture holder when said actuatable member moves away from said operating position, said suture inlet in said suture holder enabling complete removal of the suture from said suture holder when said actuatable member and said needled suture move away from said operating position, said actuatable member including a jaw defining a slot of a selected width, a second holding region being defined by an enlarged section of said slot into which at least a portion of the needle can be spring fit, the relative sizes of said needle and said enlarged section of said holding region defining, in part, a spring force, said holding region including a ledge extending along the holding region and configured to permit the needled suture to slide, in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle, in a pivoting manner within said second holding region.

13. A suture passing forceps for passing a needled suture, comprising:

an axially elongated support shaft, and

a suturing assembly at a distal end of said support shaft;

including

a first suture holder supported by said support shaft for removably holding a needled suture, said first suture holder including a suture inlet through which at least part of the suture can be passed, and

a second suture holder supported by said support shaft for passively capturing said needled suture,

one of said first suture holder and said second suture holder being an actuatable member pivotably supported for movement toward and away from an operating position to passively capture said needled suture in said second suture holder as the actuatable member moves toward the operating position, and to remove the needled suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member moves away from said operating position, said suture inlet in said first suture holder enabling complete removal of the suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member and said needled suture move away from said operating position, said second suture holder including a holding region defined by a ledge, said ledge extending along the holding region and configured to permit the needled suture to slide, in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle, in a pivoting manner with said holding region,

said needled suture comprising;

a suture thread, and

a sharp-tipped needle attached to a least one end of said suture thread, said needle having a substantially straight body co-axially aligned with said suture thread, said body including a holding portion having a different cross-sectional profile than portions of said body surrounding said holding portion.

14. A suture passing forceps, comprising:

an axially elongated support shaft, and

a suturing assembly at a distal end of said support shaft, including

a first suture holder supported by said support shaft for removably holding a needled suture, said suture holder including a suture inlet through which at least part of the suture can be passed, and

a second suture holder supported by said support shaft for capturing said needled suture,

one of said first suture holder and said second suture holder being an actuatable member pivotably supported for movement toward and away from an operating position to capture said needled suture in said second suture holder as the actuatable member moves toward the operating position, and to remove the needled suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member moves away from said operating position, said second suture holder including a holding region partially defined by a ledge, said ledge extending along the holding region and configured to permit the needled suture to slide, in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle, in a pivoting manner within said holding region.

15. The suture passing forceps of claim 14 wherein said second suture holder comprises said actuatable member.

16. The suture passing forceps of claim 14 wherein said edge is configured to facilitate removal of said needled suture from said holding region.

17. The suture passing forceps of claim 14 wherein said second suture holder passively captures said needled suture.

18. The suture passing forceps of claim 17 wherein said holding region has a spring force for removably holding a needle of the needled suture.

19. The suture passing forceps of claim 18 wherein said holding region defines a passive spring fit.

20. The suture passing forceps of claim 19 wherein said second suture holder includes a jaw defining a slot of a selected width, said holding region being defined by an enlarged section of said slot into which the needle can be spring fit, the relative sizes of said needle and said enlarged section of said holding region defining, in part, said spring force.

21. The suture passing forceps of claim 14 wherein said suture inlet in said first suture holder enables complete removal of the suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member and said needled suture move away from said operating position.

22. The suture passing forceps of claim 14 wherein said first suture holder includes a jaw and said suture inlet is defined by a slot of a selected width in said jaw through which a suture thread of the needled suture can pass, a needle holding region being defined by an enlarged section of said slot, a first portion of said enlarged section having a diameter greater than a diameter of the needle of the needled suture and a second portion of said enlarged section having a diameter less than the diameter of the needle.

23. The suture passing forceps of claim 22 wherein said slot is of limited depth extending from a surface of said jaw to said enlarged section.

24. A suture passing forceps for passing a needled suture, comprising:

an axially elongated support shaft, and

a suturing assembly at a distal end of said support shaft, including

a first suture holder supported by said support shaft for removably holding a needled suture, said suture holder including a suture inlet through which at least part of the suture can be passed, and

a second suture holder supported by said support shaft for capturing said needled suture,

one of said first suture holder and said second suture holder being an actuatable member pivotably supported for movement toward and away from an operating position to capture said needled suture in said second suture holder as the actuatable member moves toward the operating position, and to remove the needled suture from said first suture holder when said actuatable member moves away from said operating position, said second suture holder including a holding region defined by a ledge, said ledge extending along the holding region and configured to permit the needled suture to slide, in a plane substantially transverse to a longitudinal axis of the needle, in a pivoting manner within said holding region,

said needled suture comprising;

a suture thread, and

a sharp-tipped needle attached to a least one end of said suture thread, said needle having a substantially straight body co-axially aligned with said suture thread, said body including a holding portion having a different cross-sectional profile than portions of said body surrounding said holding portion.