Suture passing surgical instrument

• US 6,984,237 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2002
• Issued: 01/10/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orthopaedic Biosystems Ltd. Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Orthopaedic Biosystems Ltd. Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: Hatch, Laird L., Sullivan, James J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US10/151,812
• Publication Number:
  US 20030220658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,329 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/146, 606/148
• US Class Current: 606/144
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00946 malleable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06095 pliable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2926 Details of heads or jaws

Abstract

A surgical instrument includes first and second members configured to receive tissue therebetween. The first member is adapted to receive suture, the second member is coupled to the first member, and a grasper coupled to the second member engages the suture received by the first member. A method of passing suture includes loading suture into a first member of a suture passing surgical instrument, stabilizing tissue between the first member and a second member of the surgical instrument, passing suture through tissue via the first member of the surgical instrument, holding the passed suture via a suture grasper of the surgical instrument, and removing the first member from the tissue.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a longitudinal shaft having a proximal portion and a distal portion;

a first jaw located at the distal portion of the shaft and adapted to receive suture, the first jaw defining a channel having a longitudinal proximal portion and a distal ramp;

a second jaw coupled to the first jaw, the first and second jaws configured to receive tissue therebetween;

an elongated needle received in the channel of the first jaw, the needle being rectangular in cross-section and having a sharp distal tip and an edge extending proximally from the distal tip, the needle defining a slot having an opening to the slot at the edge that is directed distally, the slot configured to releasably receive suture received by the first jaw,

a lever coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft and to the needle for moving the distal tip of the needle relative to the first jaw along the ramp between a proximal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is received in the channel and a distal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is deflected by the ramp and extends out of the first jaw in a direction of the second jaw such that the needle carries suture through tissue grasped between the first and second jaws,

a pair of handles coupled to the proximal portion of the shaft, wherein movement of one of the handles toward the other handle causes one of the jaws to pivot toward the other of the jaws to grasp tissue therebetween and movement of the one of the handles away from the other handle causes the one of the jaws to pivot away from the other of the jaws; and

a grasper located at the second jaw, the grasper defining an opening sized to freely receive the needle therein when the needle is in the distal position, the grasper including a hook-shaped member for releasably engaging the suture carried by the needle after the needle has passed suture through the tissue and while a proximal portion of the needle remains in the first jaw.

2. A method of passing suture, comprising

loading suture into a first jaw of a suture passing surgical instrument, the first jaw defining a channel having a longitudinal proximal portion and a distal ramp, a needle being received in the channel, the needle having a rectangular cross-section and an edge extending proximally from the distal tip, the needle defining a slot having an opening to the slot at the edge that is directed distally, the slot configured to releasably receive the suture received by the first jaw;

grasping tissue between the first jaw and a second jaw coupled to the first jaw of the surgical instrument after loading suture into the first jaw by moving one of a pair of pivotally-coupled handles located at a proximal portion of the surgical instrument toward the other of the handles such that one of the jaws pivots toward the other of the jaws to grasp tissue therebetween;

passing suture through the tissue by actuating a lever located at a proximal portion of the surgical instrument and coupled to the needle, actuating the lever causing a sharp distal tip of the needle to move relative to the first jaw along the ramp from a proximal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is received in the channel to a distal position wherein the distal tip of the needle is deflected by the ramp and extends out of the first jaw in a direction of the second jaw such that the needle carries suture through the tissue grasped between the first and second jaws;

holding the passed suture via a suture grasper located at the second jaw, the grasper defining an opening sized to freely receive the needle therein when the needle is in the distal position, the grasper including a hook-shaped member for releasably engaging suture carried by the needle after the needle has passed the suture through the tissue and while a proximal portion of the needle remains in the first jaw;

actuating the lever to retract the needle such that the distal tip of the needle is within the first jaw; and

moving the one of the handles away from the other handle to pivot the one of the jaws away from the other of the jaws to release the tissue.