Suturing instruments and methods of use

• US 7,060,077 B2
• Filed: 05/18/2001
• Issued: 06/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Gordon, Norman S., Quick, Richard L., Cooper, Robert P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jackson, Gary
• Application Number:
  US09/860,344
• Publication Number:
  US 20010023352A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,852 Days
• Field of Search: 606144-148, 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 17/0482 Needle or suture guides guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; for puncturing needles A61B17/3403
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• 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 17/2909 Handles
• 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 2017/047 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 2017/0474 Knot pushers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0479 Packages or dispensers for MIS suturing instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2901 Details of shaft

Abstract

The invention relates to devices and methods for approximation, ligation, and fixation of tissue. The devices and methods are used with both traditional open surgical and endosurgical techniques.

Claims

1. A suturing instrument, comprising:

a needle insertion device having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end, and a distal end wherein the distal end of the needle insertion device defines a lateral exit port;

a first needle disposed within the distal end of the needle insertion device; and

needle deployment device disposed within the distal end of the needle insertion device, wherein the needle deployment device drives the first needle generally out of the needle insertion device through the lateral exit port into tissue and towards the longitudinal axis of the needle insertion device.

2. The suturing instrument of claim 1, further comprising a second needle disposed within the distal end of the needle insertion device and driven by the needle deployment device generally out of the needle insertion device into tissue and towards the longitudinal axis of the needle insertion device.

3. The suturing instrument of claim 2, wherein the second needle is driven out of the needle insertion device in a direction opposite the first needle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

4. The suturing instrument of claim 1, further comprising a needle catch configured to receive at least a portion of the first needle.

5. The suturing instrument of claim 2, further comprising a needle catch configured to receive at least a portion of the second needle.

6. The suturing instrument of claim 1, further comprising a suture attached to a distal end of the first needle.

7. The suturing instrument of claim 2, further comprising a suture attached to a distal end of the first needle and a distal end of the second needle.

8. The suturing instrument of claim 7, wherein the needle catch is configured such that withdrawal of the needle catch draws the suture through the wall to form a suture loop through generally opposing suture locations in the wall.

9. A method of suturing an opening in a wall of a body vessel, the method comprising the steps of:

inserting a distal end of a shaft having a generally longitudinal axis through an opening in an outer tissue layer and through the opening in the wall;

inserting a first needle into the body vessel through the shaft;

deploying the first needle generally outward relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft;

moving the first needle through the wall; and

catching at least a portion of the first needle in a needle catch.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of withdrawing the needle catch.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein withdrawing the needle catch includes withdrawing the needle catch through the opening in the outer tissue layer.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of inserting a second needle into the body cavity through the shaft.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

deploying the second needle generally outward relative to the longitudinal axis of the shaft;

moving the second needle through the wall; and

catching at least a portion of the second needle in the needle catch.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of withdrawing the needle catch with the second needle caught therein through the wall.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of withdrawing the needle catch includes withdrawing the needle catch through the opening in the outer tissue layer.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the steps of withdrawing the first needle and withdrawing the second needle form a loop of suture material through generally opposing portions of the opening in the wall of the cavity.