Devices and methods for performing vascular anastomosis
First Claim
1. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
- a handle;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position, the shaft assembly having a ram slidably disposed over the shaft for moving the needle into said radially extended position, the protective cover being slidably disposed over the ram; and
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue, the actuator assembly having a linkage coupled to a movable component, and movement of the movable component drives the linkage and moves the protective cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position, moves the ram to force the needle into said radially extended position, and moves the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Devices and methods for performing vascular anastomosis. A needle passer is used to pass one or more needles through tissue to thread one or more lengths of suture through the tissue. The needle passer is operable using one hand and includes a handle supporting a shaft assembly carrying first and second sets of needles connected by lengths of suture. An actuator assembly uncovers the first set of needles, moves them into a radially extended position, and then passes them through tissue, for example, the wall of a patient'"'"'s aorta. The needle passer may be pistol-shaped with a trigger that is moved in one direction to sequentially uncover, radially extend, and move the first set of needles through the aorta around an aortotomy. The needles may then be pulled away from the patient to thread the suture through the tissue. A delivery device is used to deliver a member adapted to be secure to body tissue, such as a vascular conduit. The delivery device includes a shaft and a collar mounted for relative movement. The shaft supports a vascular conduit so that an end of the conduit is disposed against the collar. A sealing element may be positioned on the collar beneath the end of the conduit. The needles in the second set are removed from the needle passer and are placed through the conduit and sealing element and into the collar. The shaft is then moved through the collar to move the vascular conduit along the suture into contact with the aorta. The delivery device is then removed and the respective ends of each suture length secured to fix the end of the vascular conduit to the aorta.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
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a handle;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position, the shaft assembly having a ram slidably disposed over the shaft for moving the needle into said radially extended position, the protective cover being slidably disposed over the ram; and
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue, the actuator assembly having a linkage coupled to a movable component, and movement of the movable component drives the linkage and moves the protective cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position, moves the ram to force the needle into said radially extended position, and moves the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 11, 12, 16)
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4. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
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a handle;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position;
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue; and
at least one length of suture having two ends, one end being secured to the needle and the other end being removably supported by the shaft assembly. - View Dependent Claims (5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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13. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
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a handle;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position; and
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue;
a needle oguard disposed around the needle when the needle is in said radially extended and non-extended positions, the needle guard having a cage disposed around the needle and movable between expanded and collapsed orientations, the cage having a plurality of flexible struts having one end secured to the shaft and another end secured to a ram slidably disposed over the shaft, wherein sliding the ram with respect to the shaft moves the needle into said radially extended position and moves the cage into said expanded orientation.
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14. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
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a handle assembly which is generally pistol shaped;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position; and
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving the shaft to pass the needle through the tissue, the actuator assembly having a trigger slidably mounted on the handle assembly. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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17. A device for passing at least one needle through tissue, the device comprising:
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a handle;
a shaft assembly including a shaft movably coupled to the handle, at least one needle removably supported by the shaft and movable between radially extended and non-extended positions, and a protective cover overlying at least a portion of the shaft and needle when the needle is in said radially non-extended position, the cover being movable with respect to the shaft to allow the needle to move to said radially extended position the shaft assembly having a proximal portion adjacent the handle assembly and a distal portion, and the distal portion being angled with respect to the proximal portion; and
an actuator assembly operable using one hand for moving the cover to allow the needle to assume said radially extended position and moving, the shaft to pass the needle throuoh the tissue.
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18. A device for passing a plurality of needles and a plurality of separate lengths of suture through tissue in a patient'"'"'s body, the device comprising:
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a handle;
a shaft assembly supporting a plurality of needles and a plurality of separate lengths of sutures, the shaft assembly having a distal portion configured to be positioned adjacent tissue of a patient'"'"'s body through which the needles are to be passed, wherein the needles are located adjacent the distal portion of the shaft assembly and are movable between an extended position and a non-extended position, and one end of each length of suture is secured to one of the needles and the other end of each length of suture is located away from the needles; and
an actuator assembly operable to pass the needles through tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification