Laparoscopic port site fascial closure device

• US 6,743,241 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2002
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intellimed Surgical Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Intellimed Surgical Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Kerr, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Milano, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pantuck, Bradford C
• Application Number:
  US10/086,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 606/148, 606/144, 606/145, 606/139
• 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 2017/00637 for sealing trocar wounds through abdominal wall
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00663 the implement being a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06071 with an abrupt angle formed between two adjacent sections

Abstract

A laparoscopic fascial closure device for fashioning a secure closure about a laparoscopic puncture site. The device comprises an elongate cannula having proximal and distal ends. A needle suture complex is selectively deployed from the distal end of the device that is operative to deploy a suture across the puncture site from within the body and draw the free ends of the suture outwardly from the body via the laparoscopic port site. The device is configured to be utilized through a ten millimeter or larger laparoscopic port, and is operative to position the suture at the puncture site such that the suture extends in a diametrically-opposed configuration at least 1.0 cm or greater across opposed sides of the puncture site.

Claims

1. A laparoscopic fascial closure device for fashioning a closure of a laparoscopic puncture site comprising:

a. an elongate, hollow cannula member having a proximal and distal ends;

b. an elongate connecting rod disposed axially within said cannula, said connecting rod having a proximal end orientated towards said proximal end of said cannula and a distal end orientated toward said distal end of said cannula, said connecting rod having a trigger formed upon the proximal end thereof operative to selectively cause said connecting rod to advance distally or retract proximally within said cannula;

c. a needle/suture complex mounted upon said distal end of said connecting rod, said needle/suture complex comprising at least one pair of needles having a suture extending therebetween, said needles being operatively transitional between;

(i) a first folded configuration wherein said needles are operative to extend through the lumen of said cannula;

(ii) a second operative configuration wherein said needles extend in opposed directions from the distal end of said cannula such that each respective needle extends a distance from the periphery of said puncture site; and

(iii) a third retracted configuration wherein said needles are biased inwardly toward the lumen of said cannula, independent of the needles'"'"' shape;

d. a needle trap mechanism disposed within the lumen of said cannula and operative to lockingly engage with said needles of said needle/suture complex after said needles assume said third operative configuration; and

e. wherein said needle trap mechanism is operative to draw said needles into the lumen of said cannula such that the device may be withdrawn from the body with the suture extending between the needles, forming a closure of said laparoscopic puncture site.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said distal end of said cannula is positionable through a laparoscopic port having a size of 10 nm or greater.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said needle suture complex further comprises at least one pair of needle holder arms, each respective one of said at least one pair of said needle holder arms being operative to receive a respective one of said pair of needles.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said respective one of said pair of needles is operative to disengage from said needle holder arms as said needle/suture complex transitions from its second operative configuration to its third operative configuration.

5. The device of claim 3 wherein each respective one of said pair of needle holder arms are biased to extend in diametrically opposed directions across said puncture site as said needle holder arms assume said second operative configuration.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein each respective one of said pair of needles are biased to extend in diametrically opposed directions across said puncture site as said needle/suture complex assumes said second operative configuration.

7. The device of claim 1 further comprising a handle formed on the proximal end of said cannula.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein said handle and said trigger are positioned relative one another to enable the handle to be grasped and the trigger to be manipulated by a single hand of a user.

9. The device of claim 1 where said needle trap mechanism comprises an elongate cylindrical sleeve axially mounted about said connecting rod within said cannula, said needle trap mechanism having a proximal end with a lever formed thereon, extending from said cannula, and a bell-shaped distal end having a needle catch formed therein, said needle catch being operative to lockingly engage with needle tips of said needle/suture complex when said complex assumes said third operative configuration.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said lever formed upon said needle trap mechanism is operative to cause said needle trap mechanism to extend distally and retract proximally within the said cannula.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein said needle trap mechanism, when lockingly engaged with said needle tips of said needles, captures said needles within said cannula when said needle trap mechanism retracts proximally within said cannula.

12. The device of claim 1 further comprising a tapered mount formed upon said distal end of said connecting rod and holding said needle/suture complex, said tapered mount having a generally hourglass shape.