Apparatus for facilitating the performance of surgical procedures such as the placement of sutures, ligatures and the like

• US 5,741,276 A
• Filed: 01/28/1996
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Innovative Surgical Instruments
• Original Assignee: Innovative Surgical Instruments
• Inventors: Firfer, Raymond, Poloyko, Alexandr
• Primary Examiner(s): Buiz, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): PHAM, THUY D
• Application Number:
  US08/623,154
• Time in Patent Office: 814 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/148, 606/145, 606/224, 606/147, 112/169, 112/80.03, 223/102, 223/104
• US Class Current: 606/144
• 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

Abstract

An apparatus for facilitating the performance of surgical procedures such as the placement of sutures, ligatures and the like, having a cannula portion and a stylet portion. The apparatus is configured to hold a suturing needle or the like, having an attached thread. The apparatus holds the trailing end of the thread in an orientation internal to the apparatus for controlled handling and protection of the thread.

Claims

1. An apparatus for performing surgical procedures involving the placement and controlled manipulation of a thread, via a distal member, relative to tissues in a patient'"'"'s body, the apparatus comprising:

a cannula member having a distal end and a proximate end,

the cannula member including means for releasably holding a first member, the means for releasably holding a first member, being connected to the distal end of the cannula member, a stylet member having a distal end and a proximate end,

the cannula member and means for releasably holding a first member together forming an elongated, substantially rigid, substantially completely enclosed structure for facilitated placement and handling of first member, prior to deployment of same, the stylet member being operably configured to be insertably received, at least along a portion of its length, by the cannula member,

the stylet member further including means for selectively ejecting a first member from the means for releasably holding a first member; and

means for facilitating handling of at least a portion of a thread affixed to a first member, during deployment of a first member, towards facilitating protection of the portion of a thread from undesired contact with potentially contaminated surfaces external to the apparatus,

the means for facilitating handling including a passage extending entirely through the stylet member, for insertably receiving therethrough a thread affixed to a first member,

the cannula, the means for releasably holding a first member, and the stylet being operably configured so as to completely enclose a thread, being insertably received completely internally therethrough, during passage of the thread through the apparatus, until deployment of a first member, to which the thread is affixed, and further enabling the facilitated retraction of an ejected first member.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cannula member comprises an elongated tube, having distal and proximate ends.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for selectively holding a first member comprises a deployment head member, having a passage extending therethrough with at least first and second apertures disposed on an outer surface of the deployment member, wherein at least one of the apertures is aligned with and connected to the distal end of the elongated tube of the cannula member.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the passage through the deployment head member is operably configured to receive, in its entirety, a suturing needle.

5. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the passage through the deployment head is operably configured to receive at least a portion of an elongated, substantially cylindrical probe member.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for facilitating grasping of the cannula member, operably disposed proximate the proximate end of the cannula member.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the means for facilitating grasping of the cannula member comprises at least one finger grip member operably connected proximate the other of the distal and proximate ends of the cannula member.

8. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the stylet member comprises an elongated tube, having distal and proximate ends.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the means for selectively ejecting a first member comprises an elongated substantially cylindrical flexible rod member.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for facilitating grasping of the stylet member operably disposed proximate the proximate end of the stylet member.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the means for facilitating grasping of the stylet member comprises a thumb grip member operably connected proximate the proximate end of the stylet member.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the means for facilitating handling of at least a portion of a thread affixed to the first member comprises:

a passage extending through the flexible rod member with first and second openings disposed at first and second ends of the flexible rod member, wherein at least one of the at least first and second openings is operably aligned with and connected to the distal end of the elongated tube of the stylet member, wherein the passage through the flexible rod member is operably configured to receive therethrough a surgical thread.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the means for facilitating handling of at least a portion of a thread affixed to the first member further comprises:

a passage extending through at least a portion of a thumb grip member operably disposed proximate the proximate end of the elongated tube of the stylet portion, the passage being disposed in operable communication with the other of the distal and proximate ends of the elongated tube of the stylet member.

14. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for releasably engaging the cannula member and the stylet member, so that the cannula member and the stylet member are releasably precluded from movement relative to one another.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the means for releasably engaging the cannula member and the stylet member further comprises a removable locking member, operably configured to selectively removably interconnect the cannula member and the stylet member.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a needle.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first member is a probe for performing ligatures.

18. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the probe is a flexible coil.

19. The apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the probe is a knot positioned at a free end of the thread.

20. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the means for releaseably holding a first member comprises a deployment region of the elongated tube of the cannula member, operably disposed proximate the distal end of the elongated tube, and having a substantially arcuate configuration.

21. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the cannula member has a longitudinal axis extending substantially parallel to the elongated tube thereof, and the passage through the deployment head member is operably configured such that the first member exits the deployment head member at a position which is laterally displaced from the longitudinal axis, and is prompted in a direction which is non-coplanar to the longitudinal axis.

22. An apparatus for performing surgical procedures involving the placement and controlled manipulation of a thread, via a distal member, relative to tissues in a patient'"'"'s body, the apparatus comprising:

a cannula member having a distal end and a proximate end,

the cannula member including means for releasably holding a first member, the means for releasably holding a first member, being connected to the distal end of the cannula member, a stylet member having a distal end and a proximate end,

the stylet member being operably configured to be insertably received, at least along a portion of its length, by the cannula member,

the stylet member further including means for selectively ejecting a first member from the means for releasably holding a first member; and

means for facilitating handling of at least a portion of a thread affixed to the first member, during deployment of a first member, towards facilitating protection of the portion of the thread from undesired contact with potentially contaminated surfaces external to the apparatus,

the cannula member being an elongated tube, having distal and proximate ends;

the means for selectively holding a first member comprises a deployment head member, having a passage extending therethrough with at least first and second apertures disposed on an outer surface of the deployment member, wherein at least one of the apertures is aligned with and connected to the distal end of the elongated tube of the cannula member, and the deployment head member further having a notch disposed therein for facilitating manipulation of the thread, following deployment of the first member.