Articulating suturing device

• US 9,364,209 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Issued: 06/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Abbott Cardiovascular Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Voss, Laveille Kao
• Primary Examiner(s): Eastwood, David C
• Application Number:
  US13/725,589
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,271 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• 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 17/0485 Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00623 Introducing or retrieving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00663 the implement being a suture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00818 Treatment of the gastro-intestinal system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06042 located close to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061

Abstract

An apparatus for closing an opening in a body tissue. The apparatus includes a shaft, a plurality of arms, and an expander. The arms each extend between a proximal end and a distal end. The distal end of each arm is hingedly attached to or integrally formed with the shaft. The arms are laterally spaced apart from each other. The arms are movable between a retracted configuration, in which the arms are each aligned along the shaft, and a deployed configuration, in which the proximal end of each arm pivots respectively about the distal end of the arm so as to extend laterally away from the shaft. The expander is positioned within the shaft, and movement of the expander causes the arms to move between the retracted and deployed configurations. Methods of using the apparatus are also included.

Claims

1. An apparatus for closing an opening in a body tissue, the apparatus comprising:

a shaft extending along an axis between a proximal end and a spaced apart distal end, the shaft having a size and configuration suitable for insertion through an opening in body tissue;

a first arm extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the first arm being hingedly attached to or integrally formed with the shaft;

a second arm extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the second arm being hingedly attached to or integrally formed with the shaft, the second arm being laterally spaced apart from the first arm, the first and second arms being movable between;

a retracted configuration in which the first and second arms are each aligned along the shaft, and

a deployed configuration in which the proximal end of each of the first and second arms pivot respectively about the distal end of the respective arm so as to extend laterally away from the shaft;

an elongate expander positioned within the shaft and having a first position axially separated from the first arm and the second arm and a second position contacting a portion of the first arm and the second arm, movement of the expander causing the first and second arms to move between the retracted and deployed configuration;

a flexible filament having first and second ends that are removably coupled with the first and second arms, respectively;

a first elongate penetrator positioned proximal of the first arm, the first penetrator being advanceable distally from the shaft to the first arm in the deployed configuration; and

a second elongate penetrator positioned proximal of the second arm, the second penetrator being advanceable distally from the shaft to the second arm in the deployed configuration.

2. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the proximal ends of the arms extend laterally away from the shaft in opposite directions in the deployed configuration.

3. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the expander is positioned within a lumen of the shaft.

4. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the expander is substantially conical.

5. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein movement of the expander in the distal direction causes the proximal ends of the arms to laterally move to the deployed configuration.

6. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein movement of the expander in the proximal direction causes the proximal ends of the arms to laterally move to the deployed configuration.

7. The apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the expander is threaded.

8. The apparatus recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a third arm extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the third arm being hingedly attached to or integrally formed with the shaft; and

a fourth arm extending between a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end of the fourth arm being hingedly attached to or integrally formed with the shaft, the fourth arm being laterally spaced apart from the third arm, the third and fourth arms also being movable between;

a retracted configuration in which the third and fourth arms are each aligned along the shaft, and

a deployed configuration in which the proximal end of each of the third and fourth arms pivot respectively about the distal end of the respective arm so as to extend laterally away from the shaft, the third and fourth arms also being caused to move between the retracted and deployed configurations by movement of the expander.

9. The apparatus recited in claim 8, further comprising:

a second flexible filament having first and second ends that are removably coupled with the third and fourth arms, respectively;

a third elongate penetrator positioned proximal of the third arm, the third penetrator being advanceable distally from the shaft to the third arm in the deployed configuration; and

a fourth elongate penetrator positioned proximal of the fourth arm, the fourth penetrator being advanceable distally from the shaft to the fourth arm in the deployed configuration.

10. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein the proximal ends of the third and fourth arms extend laterally away from the shaft in opposite directions in the deployed configuration that are different than the lateral directions of the proximal ends of the first and second arms.

11. The apparatus recited in claim 8, wherein the first flexible filament forms part of a filament net having multiple ends that are each removably coupled with separate ones of the arms;

and

each penetrator being positioned proximal of the respective arm, the penetrators being advanceable distally from the shaft to the respective arm in the deployed configuration.