Suturing instrument with rotatably mounted needle driver and catcher
First Claim
1. An instrument for suturing anatomical tissue with a suture needle, said suturing instrument comprisinga handle;
- a needle driver mounted by said handle for rotation along a first arcuate path having a radius of curvature commensurate with a radius of curvature of the suture needle; and
a needle catcher mounted by said handle for rotation along a second arcuate path coplanar with said first arcuate path and having a radius of curvature commensurate with the radius of curvature of the suture needle;
said needle driver and said needle catcher each including needle holding members selectively operable to grasp and release the suture needle so that, when said needle holding members of said driver are operated to grasp the suture needle, said driver can be rotated to drive the suture needle through anatomical tissue positioned between said driver and said catcher, and when said needle holding members of said catcher are operated to grasp the suture needle, said needle holding members of said driver can be operated to release the suture needle, thereby allowing said catcher to be rotated to pull the suture material through the anatomical tissue.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An instrument for suturing anatomical tissue with a suture needle includes a handle, a needle driver mounted by the handle for rotation along a first arcuate path having a radius of curvature commensurate with a radius of curvature of the suture needle, and a needle catcher mounted by the handle for rotation along a second arcuate path coplanar with the first arcuate path and having a radius of curvature commensurate with the radius of curvature of the suture needle. The needle driver and the needle catcher each include needle holding members selectively operable to grasp and release the suture needle so that, when the needle holding members of the driver are operated to grasp the suture needle, the driver can be rotated to drive the suture needle through anatomical tissue positioned between the driver and the catcher, and when the needle holding members of the catcher are operated to grasp the suture needle, the needle holding members of the driver can be operated to release the suture needle, thereby allowing the catcher to be rotated to pull the suture material through the anatomical tissue.
-
Citations
17 Claims
-
1. An instrument for suturing anatomical tissue with a suture needle, said suturing instrument comprising
a handle; -
a needle driver mounted by said handle for rotation along a first arcuate path having a radius of curvature commensurate with a radius of curvature of the suture needle; and a needle catcher mounted by said handle for rotation along a second arcuate path coplanar with said first arcuate path and having a radius of curvature commensurate with the radius of curvature of the suture needle; said needle driver and said needle catcher each including needle holding members selectively operable to grasp and release the suture needle so that, when said needle holding members of said driver are operated to grasp the suture needle, said driver can be rotated to drive the suture needle through anatomical tissue positioned between said driver and said catcher, and when said needle holding members of said catcher are operated to grasp the suture needle, said needle holding members of said driver can be operated to release the suture needle, thereby allowing said catcher to be rotated to pull the suture material through the anatomical tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. A method of suturing anatomical tissue using a length of suture material attached to a curved suture needle, said method comprising the steps of
grasping the suture needle with a needle driver mounted by a handle; -
positioning the anatomical tissue between a tip of the suture needle and a needle catcher mounted by the handle; rotating the needle driver in a first direction along an arcuate path having a radius of curvature commensurate with the radius of curvature of the suture needle to cause the tip of the needle to penetrate the anatomical tissue; receiving the tip of the suture needle in the needle catcher; grasping the suture needle with the needle catcher; releasing the suture needle from the needle driver; and rotating the needle catcher in the first direction along a second arcuate path having a radius of curvature commensurate with the radius of curvature of the suture needle. - View Dependent Claims (16)
-
-
17. A method of suturing anatomical tissue using a length of suture material attached to a suture needle, said method comprising the steps of
positioning the suture needle in openings formed through opposed sides of a hook-shaped needle holding member of a needle driver mounted by a handle; -
grasping the suture needle by moving a cooperating needle holding member of the needle driver distally relative to the hook-like member to contact the suture needle; positioning the anatomical tissue between a tip of the suture needle and a needle catcher mounted by the handle; moving the needle driver toward the needle catcher to cause the tip of the needle to penetrate the anatomical tissue; receiving the tip of the suture needle in openings formed through opposed sides of a hook-shaped needle holding member of the needle catcher; grasping the suture needle by moving a cooperating needle holding member of the needle catcher distally relative to the hook-shaped member; releasing the suture needle from the needle driver by moving the cooperating member proximally relative to the hook-shaped member; and moving the needle catcher away from needle driver to pull the suture needle through the anatomical tissue.
-
Specification