Placing sutures

• US 7,041,111 B2
• Filed: 08/02/2002
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Chu, Michael S. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W.
• Application Number:
  US10/210,984
• Publication Number:
  US 20040034372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,376 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/145, 606/148, 606/142, 289/17, 206/363, 206/365
• 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0491 Sewing machines for surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06028 by means of a cylindrical longitudinal blind bore machined at the suture-receiving end of the needle, e.g. opposite to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft

Abstract

A suturing instrument including multiple needle and suture assemblies that are at least partially disposed within the suturing instrument allows a surgeon to place multiple sutures intercorporally without having to remove the instrument from a surgical site and reload the instrument between placing each suture. The suturing instrument includes an elongate body member that includes a distal portion defining an opening. The suturing instrument further includes a first needle disposed within the opening, a second needle disposed within the opening, and a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle.

Claims

1. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a distal portion defining an opening;

a first needle disposed within the opening;

a second needle disposed within the opening;

a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle for moving the first needle and then the second needle out of the opening; and

a needle catch disposed on the distal portion of the elongate body member and configured to receive the first needle and the second needle.

2. The suturing instrument of claim 1 further comprising a third needle disposed within the opening and connectable to the needle deployment mechanism.

3. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the needle deployment mechanism comprises:

a needle carrier; and

an actuator coupled to the needle carrier, the needle carrier disposed at least partially within the opening and the actuator disposed in a proximal portion of the elongate body member.

4. The suturing instrument of claim 3 wherein the needle carrier includes a distal portion that defines a lumen for receiving at least one of the first needle and the second needle.

5. The suturing instrument of claim 4 wherein the distal portion of the needle carrier further defines a slot in communication with the lumen for loading a suture.

6. The suturing instrument of claim 4 wherein the second needle transitions from the opening to the lumen after the first needle is deployed from the elongate body member.

7. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the first needle and second needle each include a distal portion and a suture attached thereto.

8. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the opening comprises a bottom surface defining a slot for loading a suture.

9. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the elongate body member includes a bend.

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

11. 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.

12. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the elongate body member is adapted to access remote organs or tissue within a body.

13. 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.

14. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a distal portion defining an opening and a needle compartment;

a first needle disposed within the needle compartment, said first needle including a distal portion and a suture attached thereto;

p1 a second needle disposed within the needle compartment, said second needle including a distal portion and a suture attached thereto; and

a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle for moving the first needle and then the second needle out of the opening.

15. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a bend and a distal portion defining an opening and a needle compartment;

a first needle disposed within the needle compartment;

a second needle disposed within the needle compartment; and

a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle for moving the first needle and then the second needle out of the opening.

16. The suturing instrument of claim 15 further comprising a third needle disposed within the opening and connectable to the needle deployment mechanism.

17. The suturing instrument of claim 15 wherein the needle deployment mechanism comprises:

a needle carrier; and

an actuator coupled to the needle carrier, the needle carrier disposed at least partially within the opening and the actuator disposed in a proximal portion of the elongate body member.

18. The suturing instrument of claim 17 wherein the needle carrier includes a distal portion that defines a lumen for receiving at least one of the first needle and the second needle.

19. The suturing instrument of claim 18 wherein the distal portion of the needle carrier further defines a slot in communication with the lumen for loading a suture.

20. The suturing instrument of claim 18 wherein the second needle transitions from the needle compartment to the lumen after the first needle is deployed from the elongate body member.

21. The suturing instrument of claim 15 wherein the opening comprises a bottom surface defining a slot for loading a suture.

22. The suturing instrument of claim 15 wherein the elongate body member includes one or more bend.

23. The suturing instrument of claim 15 further comprising a handle disposed opposite the distal portion of the elongate body member, the handle at least partially houses the needle deployment mechanism.

24. The suturing instrument of claim 15 wherein the elongate body member is adapted to access remote organs or tissue within a body.

25. The suturing instrument of claim 15 wherein the distal portion of the elongate body member can rotate relative to a remainder of the elongate body member.

26. A suturing instrument comprising:

an elongate body member including a distal portion defining an opening and a needle compartment, the distal portion being rotatable relative to a remainder of the elongate body member;

a first needle disposed within the needle compartment;

a second needle disposed within the needle compartment; and

a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle for moving the first needle and then the second needle out of the opening.

27. The suturing instrument of claim 26 further comprising a third needle disposed within the opening and connectable to the needle deployment mechanism.

28. The suturing instrument of claim 26 wherein the needle deployment mechanism comprises:

a needle carrier; and

an actuator coupled to the needle carrier, the needle carrier disposed at least partially within the opening and the actuator disposed in a proximal portion of the elongate body member.

29. The suturing instrument of claim 28 wherein the needle carrier includes a distal portion that defines a lumen for receiving at least one of the first needle and the second needle.

30. The suturing instrument of claim 29 wherein the distal portion of the needle carrier further defines a slot in communication with the lumen for loading a suture.

31. The suturing instrument of claim 29 wherein the second needle transitions from the needle compartment to the lumen after the first needle is deployed from the elongate body member.

32. The suturing instrument of claim 26 wherein the opening comprises a bottom surface defining a slot for loading a suture.

33. The suturing instrument of claim 26 wherein the elongate body member includes one or more bends.

34. The suturing instrument of claim 26 further comprising a handle disposed opposite the distal portion of the elongate body member, the handle at least partially houses the needle deployment mechanism.

35. The suturing instrument of claim 26 wherein the elongate body member is adapted to access remote organs or tissue within a body.