Handle for suturing apparatus

• US 7,803,167 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2005
• Issued: 09/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary S. Kohler, Pandora Select Partners, L.P., Scarab Technology Services, LLC, Scot W. Malloy
• Original Assignee: Nobles Medical Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Decker, Steven E., Nobles, Anthony A., Tran, Hung, Brosch, Benjamin G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Erezo; Darwin P
• Assistant Examiner(s): DANG, PHONG SON H
• Application Number:
  US11/235,751
• Publication Number:
  US 20060069397A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,827 Days
• Field of Search: 606/144, 606/148, 606181-182, 606184-185, 227/107, 227/134
• 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 17/0625 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 2017/00296 mounted on an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00367 Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like
• 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 2017/00672 Locating means therefor, e.g. bleed back lumen
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2911 rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2912 transmission of forces to actuating rod or piston

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are provided for closing incisions within biological tissue. In one embodiment, a device and method are provided for suturing biological tissue, such as, for example, an organ or blood vessel. The suturing apparatus is particularly well suited for suturing an incision made in an artery, such as the femoral artery, following a catheterization procedure. The device eliminates the need to apply pressure to a patient'"'"'s thigh for an extended period of time, and eliminates many of the complications and costs associated with the creation of a thrombus patch. In addition, the device comprises an improved handle portion which enables the physician to quickly and easily apply suture. The handle portion is very reliable and easy to manipulate. The suturing may be used in combination with existing catheter sheath introducers.

Claims

1. A method of applying suture to an opening, comprising:

inserting an elongate body into the opening;

extending at least one arm from the elongate body on a distal side of the opening, the at least one arm holding a suture portion;

advancing at least one needle from the elongate body from the proximal side of the opening, through tissue adjacent the opening, and into engagement with the suture portion held by the at least one arm; and

retracting the at least one needle in a distal to proximal direction, pulling the suture portion proximally through the opening;

wherein the needle is advanced by moving an actuator from a first position to a second position and is biased to retract to its first position, and wherein the at least one needle automatically retracts once the actuator reaches the second position such that the steps of advancing and retracting the at least one needle are both performed as the actuator moves from the first position to the second position.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is depressed to advance the needle.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising returning the actuator to the first position upon release of the actuator after advancing and retracting the at least one needle.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the needle is spring biased to return to its first position.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein advancement of the at least one needle ceases when the actuator reaches the second position.

5. A method of applying suture to an opening, comprising:

inserting an elongate body into the opening, the elongate body being connected to a handle having a plurality of actuators;

depressing a first actuator to extend at least one arm from a first position to a second position, the arm in its second position extending from the elongate body on a distal side of the opening, the at least one arm holding a suture portion;

depressing a second actuator from a first position to a second position to advance at least one needle from the elongate body from the proximal side of the opening, through tissue adjacent the opening, and into engagement with the suture portion held by the at least one arm;

continuing to depress the second actuator beyond the second position to retract the at least one needle in a distal to proximal direction, pulling the suture portion proximally through the opening; and

retracting the arm to its first position.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising depressing a third actuator to return the at least one arm from its second position to its first position.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the needle is spring biased to return to its initial position.

10. The method of claim 5, further comprising returning the second actuator to the first position after advancing and retracting the at least one needle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one needle is connected to the second actuator via a follower member, wherein the second actuator moves along a first surface of the follower member as the needle is advanced in a proximal to distal direction and the second actuator moves along a second surface of the follower member as the needle is retracted in a distal to proximal direction.

8. A method of advancing a needle, comprising:

providing an actuator capable of being depressed;

providing a follower having an angled surface, the follower being connected with the needle and the angled surface being engageable with a surface of the actuator;

depressing the actuator along a first path relative to the follower to advance the needle, wherein the distance moved by the needle is proportional to the angle of the angled surface;

continuing to depress the actuator along the first path until the actuator surface exits the angled surface of the follower; and

retracting the needle while retracting the follower such that the actuator moves relative to the follower along a second path, the second path being different than the first path.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising returning the actuator to an initial position along a third path of the actuator relative to the follower, the third path being different from both the first path and the second path.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the second path is defined by retraction of the follower while maintaining depression of the actuator.