Multiple needle suturing instrument and method

• US 6,159,224 A
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 12/12/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Inbae Yoon
• Original Assignee: Inbae Yoon
• Inventors: Yoon, InBae
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/300,011
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/145, 606/147, 606/148, 606/219, 606/222
• US Class Current: 606/147
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/02 Instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; needle locating or guiding means A61B17/3403; samplers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/26; sampling or preparing biological specimens G01N33/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0491 Sewing machines for surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/062 Needle manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32 Surgical cutting instruments A61B18/042 takes precedence; suture cutters A61B17/0467; instruments for ligaturing or cutting A61B17/128; instruments for rupturing the amniotic membrane A61B17/4208; specially adapted knives for eye surgery A61F9/0133
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0609 having sharp tips at both ends, e.g. shuttle needle alternately retained and released by first and second facing jaws of a suturing instrument MIS suturing instruments A61B17/0469; jaws of MIS forceps A61B2017/2926
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00208 actively driven, e.g. by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/1253 monopolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/126 bipolar
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/36 Image-producing devices or illumination devices not otherwise provided for

Abstract

A suturing instrument having needle holders for passing a needle through anatomical tissue. Needles are dispensed from an integral portion of the instrument and loaded into a needle holder prior to suturing. When a suturing procedure is completed, the needle is collected into an integral portion of the instrument.

Claims

1. A suturing instrument comprising:

at lease one needle holder;

a needle dispensing mechanism configured to dispense a plurality of needles, one at a time, to said needle holder; and

a needle collecting mechanism configured to collect needles from said needle holder, said dispensing mechanism and said collecting mechanism being integral with other portions of said instrument.

2. A suturing instrument as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

an elongated barrel having proximal and distal ends, at least a portion of said needle holder extending from said distal end.

3. An instrument as recited in claim 2 wherein there are two needle holders.

4. An instrument as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of said needle holders is movable relative to said barrel.

5. An instrument as recited in claim 3, wherein both of said needle holders are movable relative to said barrel.

6. An instrument as recited in claim 2, wherein said dispensing mechanism comprises a needle dispensing cartridge disposed in said barrel and adapted to loading needles in said at least one needle holder and said collecting mechanism comprises a needle collecting cartridge disposed in said barrel and adapted to collect needles from said at least one needle holder.

7. An instrument as recited in claim 3, wherein said needle dispensing mechanism comprises a needle dispensing cartridge disposed in said barrel and adapted to loading needles in one of said needle holders and said needle collecting mechanism comprises a needle collecting cartridge disposed in said barrel and adapted to collecting needles from the other of said needle holders.

8. An instrument as recited in claim 7, wherein said needle holders are moveable through an arcuate slot formed in said barrel and said needle dispensing cartridge and said needle collecting cartridge are located radially outward from said needle holders.

9. An instrument as recited in claim 8, wherein said needle holders are movable through an arcuate slot formed in said barrel and said needle dispensing cartridge and said needle collecting cartridge are located radially inward from said needle holders.

10. An instrument as recited in claim 8, wherein said needle holders are movable axially with respect to said barrel.

11. An instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said needle holders are movable axially with respect to said barrel.

12. A suturing instrument as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

a needle collecting mechanism configured to collect needles, said needle collecting mechanism being integral with other portions of said instrument.

13. An instrument as recited in claim 12, wherein said needle dispensing mechanism is disposed in said barrel.

14. An instrument as recited in claim 13, wherein said needle dispensing mechanism comprises a needle dispensing cartridge adapted to housing at least one needle and dispensing said at least one needle, one at a time, to said needle holder.

15. A suturing instrument comprising:

at least one needle holder having;

a needle dispensing mechanism containing a plurality of needles and configured to dispense at least one needle, one at a time, to said needle holder, said needle dispensing mechanism being integral with other portions of said instrument.

16. An instrument as recited in claim 15, further comprising:

an elongated barrel having proximal and distal ends, at least a portion of said needle holder extending from said distal end.

17. A method of suturing anatomical tissue comprising:

inserting a distal end of an instrument into an anatomical cavity;

dispensing a needle from a first portion of the instrument;

loading the needle into a needle holder of the instrument; and

suturing tissue by manipulating the needle holder to pass the needle through the tissue.

18. A method as recited in claim 17, further comprising the step of:

collecting the needle, after said suturing step, into a second portion of the instrument.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said suturing step comprises pulling the needle out of the needle holder with a needle catcher.

20. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said suturing step further comprises moving the needle holder and the needle catcher through arcuate grooves formed in the barrel.

21. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said dispensing step comprises dispensing the needle from a dispensing cartridge disposed in the instrument.

22. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting the needle in a collecting cartridge disposed in the instrument.

23. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein said collecting step comprises collecting the needle in a barrel of the instrument.

24. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said suturing step comprises pulling the needle out of the needle holder with a needle catcher.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein said suturing step further comprises moving the needle holder and the needle catcher through arcuate grooves formed in the barrel.

26. A method as recited in claim 17 wherein said dispensing step comprises dispensing the needle from a dispensing cartridge disposed in the instrument.

27. A method as recited in claim 17, wherein said dispensing step comprises dispensing a needle from a barrel of the instrument.

28. A method of loading and unloading needles in a suturing instrument comprising:

loading needles into a needle dispensing cartridge;

inserting the needle dispensing cartridge into the suturing instrument;

transferring the needles to a needle collecting cartridge disposed in the instrument; and

removing the collecting cartridge from the instrument.

29. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein said inserting step comprises inserting the needle dispensing cartridge in a barrel of the suturing instrument.

30. A method as recited in claim 28, wherein said removing step comprises removing the needle collecting cartridge from the barrel of the instrument.

31. A multiple needle suturing instrument for suturing with a plurality of needles, comprising:

an elongated barrel having a proximal end and an opposite distal end and defining a longitudinal opening extending between the proximal and distal ends, the opening containing the plurality of needles;

at least one needle holder;

a needle dispensing mechanism operative to dispense the plurality of needles from the opening, one at a time, to the at least one needle holder; and

a needle collecting mechanism operative to collect needles from the at least one needle holder, the collected needles being retained within the opening.

32. A multiple needle suturing instrument according to claim 31, wherein the at least one needle holder is disposed adjacent the distal end and moves into the opening to grasp one of the plurality of needles and outwardly from the opening for suturing with the grasped needle.

33. A multiple needle suturing instrument according to claim 31, further comprising another needle holder.

34. A multiple needle suturing instrument for suturing with a plurality of needles, comprising:

at least one needle holder;

a needle dispensing mechanism operative to dispense the plurality of needles, one at a time, to the at least one needle holder; and

a needle collecting mechanism operative to collect needles from the at least one needle holder being disposed between the needle dispensing mechanism and the needle collecting mechanism.