Device and method for suturing blood vessels and the like

• US 6,428,549 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 08/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: St Jude Medical Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: X-Site LLC
• Inventors: Kontos, Stavros
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/650,322
• Time in Patent Office: 707 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/145, 606/147, 606/148, 112/104, 112/169
• US Class Current: 606/144
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0057 Implements for plugging an opening in the wall of a hollow or tubular organ, e.g. for sealing a vessel puncture or closing a cardiac septal defect sutures A61B17/04; closing rectum or urethra near body surface A61F2/0009
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0487 Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00663 the implement being a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00672 Locating means therefor, e.g. bleed back lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/047 having at least one proximally pointing needle located at the distal end of the instrument, e.g. for suturing trocar puncture wounds starting from inside the body J-shaped suture needles A61B2017/0608
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/1652 by driving a fluid through the nozzles to the outside thereof, e.g. by applying pressure to the inside or vacuum at the outside of the print head
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/175 Ink supply systems ; Circuit parts therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 2/17563 Ink filters

Abstract

A method for sealing a tissue puncture that includes inserting into the puncture a device with needle exit and entry openings separated by a tissue receiving gap, positioning the device so that the tissue is located in the tissue receiving gap distally from the needle exit opening and proximally from the needle entry opening and inserting a first needle coupled to a first portion of suture distally through the device through the tissue and into the needle entry lumen. The device is then rotated to a second portion of tissue and a second needle is inserted distally through the device through the second portion of tissue and into the needle entry lumen. The device is withdrawn from the patient and the suture is tightened to seal the puncture.

Claims

1. A method for sealing a puncture in an anatomical structure comprising the steps of:

inserting into the puncture a device including a needle exit opening and a needle entry opening separated by a tissue receiving gap;

positioning the device so that the needle exit opening is located on a proximal side of the anatomical structure and the needle entry opening is located on a distal side of the anatomical structure with a first portion of the anatomical structure received within the tissue receiving gap;

inserting a first needle coupled to a first portion of suture distally through the device to exit the device via the needle exit opening, penetrate the first portion of the anatomical structure and re-enter the device via the needle entry lumen;

rotating the device so that a second portion of the anatomical structure is located within the tissue receiving gap between the needle exit and needle entry lumens;

inserting a second needle coupled to a second portion of suture distally through the device to exit the device via the needle exit opening, penetrate the second portion of the anatomical structure and re-enter the device via the needle entry lumen;

withdrawing the device from the anatomical structure; and

tightening the first and second portions of suture to draw the sides of the puncture together.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second portions of suture form a single continuous length of suture.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the puncture is formed in a blood vessel.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the step of positioning the device is performed by observing the flow of blood through a flashback lumen extending through the device.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the steps of inserting the first and second needles into the needle entry lumen are performed so that, when the first and second needles are inserted into the needle entry lumen, proximal ends of the each of the first and second needles are completely received within the needle entry lumen.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the first and second needles are inserted using a needle pushing member.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein a minimum cross-sectional area of a connecting portion of the device extending from a proximal to a distal side of the tissue receiving gap is at least as great as a maximum cross-sectional area of a distal portion of the device extending distally from the tissue receiving gap.