Needle assembly and method for passing suture
First Claim
1. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
- a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein;
a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle;
a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and
a lock member engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore, said lock member being hingedly attached to said sheath;
wherein said needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing said assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within said sheath for passing said assembly safely past tissue which is not to be penetrated.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A needle assembly for passing suture within the body includes a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in the distal end extending through the needle for retaining a suture therein; a stop element positioned on the needle proximate to, and spaced from, the proximal end of the needle; a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining the needle; and a lock member engageable with the needle stop element to prevent distal movement of the needle in the sheath bore. The needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing the assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within the sheath for passing the assembly safely past the tissue which is not to be penetrated. There is further contemplated a method for passing suture within the body, using the needle assembly.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and a lock member engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore, said lock member being hingedly attached to said sheath; wherein said needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing said assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within said sheath for passing said assembly safely past tissue which is not to be penetrated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an open in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and a lock member engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore; wherein said needle opening is larger in width than a cross-section of the suture, and said sheath is provided with slots extending proximally from a distal end of said sheath, said slots having widths exceeding the width of the suture, such that the suture is movable through said opening and said sheath slots as said assembly is withdrawn from a site of attachment of the suture to said needle, and wherein said needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing said assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within said sheath for passing said assembly safely past tissue which is not to be penetrated.
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17. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and a lock member engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore; wherein said needle opening comprises an elongated slot larger in width than a cross-section of the suture, and said sheath is provided with opposed, radially-extending apertures, a first portion of said elongated slot being alignable with said apertures when said needle is extended beyond said sheath, and a second portion of said elongated slot being alignable with said apertures when said needle is retracted into said sheath, said apertures having a diameter larger than the diameter of the suture, such that the suture is movable through said opening and said sheath apertures as said assembly is withdrawn from a site of attachment of the suture to said needle, and wherein said needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing said assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within said sheath for passing said assembly safely past tissue which is not to be penetrated.
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18. A method for passing suture within the body, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) providing a needle assembly comprising; (a) a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; (b) a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; (c) a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and (d) a lock member engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore, said lock member being hingedly attached to said sheath; (2) positioning said needle proximally in said sheath so as to cause said needle distal end to be located in said sheath distal end, and engaging said lock member with said stop member so as to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath; (3) advancing said assembly within said body until said distal end of said sheath is adjacent to a piece of tissue through which a suture is to be passed; (4) disengaging said lock member from said stop element and moving said needle distally until said stop element engages said sheath, so as to cause said needle distal end to extend from said distal end of said sheath; (5) advancing said assembly through said piece of tissue until said needle exits the far side of said piece of tissue; (6) passing a suture through said opening in said needle distal end; (7) drawing said assembly and said suture back through said piece of tissue; and (8) disengaging said suture from said needle.
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19. A method for passing suture within the body, the method comprising the steps of:
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(1) providing a needle assembly comprising; (a) a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; (b) a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; (c) a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; and (d) a lock member hingedly attached to said sheath and engageable with said stop element to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore; (2) disengaging said lock member from said stop element and moving said needle distally until said stop element engages said sheath, so as to cause said needle distal end to extend from a distal end of said sheath; (3) advancing said assembly through a first piece of tissue at a first location; (4) drawing said needle proximally in said sheath so as to cause said needle distal end to re-enter said sheath distal end, and engaging said lock member with said stop member to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath; (5) advancing said assembly within said body until said distal end of said sheath is adjacent to a second piece of tissue, at a second location, through which a suture is to be passed; (6) disengaging said lock member from said stop element and moving said needle distally until said stop element engages said sheath, so as to cause said needle distal end to extend from said distal end of said sheath; (9) advancing said assembly through said second piece of tissue until said needle exits the far side of said second piece of tissue; (10) passing a suture through said opening in said needle distal end; (11) drawing said assembly and said suture back through said second piece of tissue; and (12) disengaging said suture from said needle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
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a rigid needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; a sheath having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably retaining said needle; a lock member pivotally attached to said needle and engageable with said sheath to prevent distal movement of said needle in said sheath bore; wherein said needle distal end is movable to an exposed position for passing said assembly through tissue, and is movable to a shielded position within said sheath for passing said assembly safely past tissue which is not to be penetrated.
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29. A needle assembly for passing suture within the body, said assembly comprising:
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a needle having an axial length, a proximal end, pointed distal end, and an opening in said distal end extending through said needle for retaining a suture therein; a stop element positioned on said needle proximate to, and spaced from, said proximal end of said needle; a sheath including a distal end and a proximal end, having a shorter axial length than said axial length of said needle, and having a lengthwise bore therethrough for slidably receiving a portion of said needle such that said pointed distal end of said needle may be moved relative to said sheath between a first position wherein said pointed distal end resides within said distal end of said sheath and a second position wherein said pointed distal end of said needle projects outwardly from said distal end of said sheath; and a lock member pivotally attached to said assembly for releasable engagement between said stop element and said proximal end of said sheath when said needle is in said first position; whereby said needle distal end is movable relative to said sheath into said second position for the passing of said assembly through tissue, and is movable relative to said sheath into, and lockable in, said first position at other times.
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Specification