Placing sutures

• US 6,936,054 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2002
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Chu, Michael S. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/200,271
• Publication Number:
  US 20040015177A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,135 Days
• Field of Search: 606144-145
• US Class Current: 606/145
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0625 the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator A61B17/06109 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06009 having additional means for releasably clamping the suture to the needle, e.g. actuating rod slideable within the needle

Abstract

A suturing instrument is configured for to apply sutures to approximate, ligate, or fixate tissue in, for example, open, mini-incision, trans-vaginal, or endoscopic surgical procedures. The suturing instrument includes an elongate body member, a needle exit port, a needle receiving port, and a needle deployment mechanism. The suturing instrument eliminates the need for a preassembled needle and suture and reduces or eliminates the possibility of needle loss during suturing.

Claims

1. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a distal portion defining a first opening and a second opening that opposes the first opening;

a needle at least partially disposed within the elongate body member, the needle including a hook-shaped distal portion, a latch adapted to retain a suture within the hook-shaped distal portion, and a tissue-penetrating tip distal of the hook-shaped distal portion; and

a needle deployment mechanism coupled to a proximal portion of the needle and disposed at least partially within the elongate body member for moving the needle between the first and second openings.

2. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the latch is movable between a first position in which the hook-shaped distal portion is open and a second position in which the hook-shaped distal portion is closed.

3. The suturing instrument of claim 2 wherein the body member comprises a protuberance disposed on an internal surface of the first opening for moving the latch to the first position when the needle is moved from the first opening to the second opening.

4. The suturing instrument of claim 2 wherein the latch is pivotably coupled to the needle.

5. The suturing instrument of claim 2 wherein the body member comprises:

a protuberance disposed on an internal surface of the second opening for moving the latch to the second position when the needle is moved from the second opening to the first opening; and

a flexible tubular member for holding a suture, the flexible tubular member disposed within the second opening and distal of the protuberance.

6. The suturing instrument of claim 5 wherein the flexible tubular member comprises a spring.

7. The suturing instrument of claim 5 wherein the flexible tubular member defines a first lumen and the distal portion of the suturing instrument defines a second lumen generally axially aligned with the first lumen.

8. The suturing instrument of claim 7 further comprising a slot defined by the distal portion of the suturing instrument, the slot in communication with the first lumen and the second lumen.

9. The suturing instrument of claim 2 wherein the latch is slidably disposed on the needle.

10. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the needle is substantially straight.

11. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the needle is curved.

12. The suturing instrument of claim 11 wherein the hook shaped distal portion is oriented on an inside diameter of the needle.

13. The suturing instrument of claim 1 further comprising a suture disposed within the second opening.

14. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the elongate body member includes a bends.

15. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the elongate body member includes two bends.

16. The suturing instrument of claim 1 further comprising a handle disposed opposite the distal portion of the elongate body member, the handle at least partially houses the needle deployment mechanism.

17. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the distal portion of the elongate body member can rotate relative to a remainder of the elongate body member.

18. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a distal portion defining a first opening and a second opening that opposes the first opening;

a needle at least partially disposed within the elongate body member, the needle comprising;

a body having a first diameter;

a hook-shaped distal portion having a second diameter, the hook-shaped distal portion for capturing and pulling a suture from the second opening, wherein the second diameter is smaller than the first diameter;

a tissue-penetrating tip distal of the hook-shaped distal portion;

a latch movable between a first position in which the hook-shaped distal portion is opened as the needle exits the first opening and a second position in which the hook-shaped distal portion is closed as the needle exits the second opening with the suture, thereby capturing the suture in the hook-shaped distal portion of the needle; and

a needle deployment mechanism coupled to a proximal portion of the needle and disposed at least partially within the elongate body member for moving the needle between the first opening and the second opening.