Device and method for suturing of internal puncture sites
First Claim
1. A method for suturing a puncture site in the wall of a body lumen, said method comprising:
- providing at least one elongate flexible needle having a distal tip and an attached length of suture;
pushing the needle so that the distal tip penetrates inwardly through an anterior surface of the wall adjacent to the puncture site and enters into the body lumen, whereby an inward penetration is formed;
elastically bending the needle as it travels within the body lumen so that the distal tip penetrates outwardly through a posterior surface of the wall adjacent to the puncture site, whereby an outer penetration is formed;
pulling the needle outwardly to draw suture through the inward and outward penetrations formed by the needle; and
tying the suture to close the puncture site.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A suture applying device comprises a shaft having a nose piece attached at its distal end. The shaft and the nose piece are separated by a transition region, and a needle entry lumen in the shaft permits a flexible needle to be introduced in the distal direction. The needle is able to cross the transition region and penetrate tissue held therein and enter into a return lumen in the nose piece. The return lumen is U-shaped and acts to bend the flexible needle as it is advanced. In this way, the needle passes from the nose piece through the transition region in a proximal direction, and is able to pass through tissue within the transition region generally on the opposite side of a tissue puncture from the first suture passage. The needle then exits from the device, permitting the suture attached to the needle to be drawn fully through the device. The suture may then be tied in order to close and seal the tissue penetration.
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Citations
49 Claims
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1. A method for suturing a puncture site in the wall of a body lumen, said method comprising:
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providing at least one elongate flexible needle having a distal tip and an attached length of suture;
pushing the needle so that the distal tip penetrates inwardly through an anterior surface of the wall adjacent to the puncture site and enters into the body lumen, whereby an inward penetration is formed;
elastically bending the needle as it travels within the body lumen so that the distal tip penetrates outwardly through a posterior surface of the wall adjacent to the puncture site, whereby an outer penetration is formed;
pulling the needle outwardly to draw suture through the inward and outward penetrations formed by the needle; and
tying the suture to close the puncture site. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for suturing a puncture site distal to a tissue tract, said method comprising:
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providing an elongate flexible needle having a distal tip and an attached length of suture;
providing a needle-guiding device which defines a needle path having an entry segment, a return segment, and an exit segment, wherein the entry and exit segments are separated from the return segment by a gap;
introducing the needle-guiding device through the tissue tract so that the gap lies at the puncture site;
pushing the needle through the entry segment of the needle path so that the needle passes through tissue adjacent the puncture, into the return segment, through tissue on the other side of the puncture site, and then into the exit segment;
pulling the needle outwardly from the exit segment of the needle path to draw suture from the needle-guiding device; and
tying the suture to close the puncture site. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A suturing device comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, an entry lumen, and an exit lumen; and
a nose piece attached to the distal end of the shaft and having a return lumen disposed to receive a flexible needle from the entry lumen and to turn the needle to enter the exit lumen, wherein a gap between the shaft and a proximal end of the nose piece receives tissue to be sutured and the exit lumen extends generally axially along at least a portion of the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A suturing device comprising:
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a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; and
means on the shaft for defining a needle path having an entry segment, a return segment, and an exit segment, wherein the entry and exit segments are separated from the return segment by a gap which receives tissue to be sutured and the exit segment of the needle path is directed along the shaft. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A suturing kit comprising:
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a suturing needle including an elongate needle shank having a distal tip, said shank being composed of a flexible metal alloy; and
a length of suture attached to the needle shank; and
a needle-guiding device including a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, an entry lumen, and an exit lumen; and
a nose piece attached to the distal end of the shaft and having a return lumen disposed to receive the suturing needle from the entry lumen and to turn the needle to enter the exit lumen, wherein a gap between the shaft and the nose piece receives tissue to be sutured.- View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49)
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Specification