Circular needle applier with offset needle and carrier tracks

• US 9,398,905 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 07/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Martin, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Eric
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ulsh, George J
• Application Number:
  US13/832,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,229 Days
• Field of Search: 606/144, 606/147, 606/181, 600/583
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0491 Sewing machines for surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06114 Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures packages for sharps A61B50/3001; for dental floss A61C15/043; packages for needles in general B65D85/24
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06123 Flat cylinders, e.g. including an inner reel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06133 of parallelepipedal shape, e.g. made of rectangular or slightly oval panels
• 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 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• 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 2017/0608 J-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/07271 characterised by its cartridge
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2927 the angular position of the head being adjustable with respect to the shaft
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2270/0421 Controlled or regulated

Abstract

A surgical suturing device comprises an arced needle track. An arced needle is positioned in the needle track, the needle having a leading end, a trailing end, a medial face, and a lateral face. A length of suture is connected to the needle. An arced carrier track is spaced from the needle track. A reciprocating needle driver has a carrier positioned in the carrier track and a driver positioned in the needle track and is operative to engage and move the needle in the needle track. A transmission is operative to reciprocate the carrier in the carrier track.

Claims

1. A surgical suturing device, comprising:

an arced needle track;

an arced needle slideably positioned in the needle track, the needle comprising a leading end, a trailing end, a medial face, and a lateral face;

a length of suture connected to the needle;

an arced carrier track spaced from the needle track;

a reciprocating carrier having a curved body matching the arc of the carrier track, the curved body being slideably positioned in the carrier track;

a driver extending from the carrier and positioned in the needle track and operative to engage and slide the needle in the needle track; and

a transmission comprising a link pivotally coupled to the carrier, the transmission being operative to translate the carrier at least 180 degrees along the carrier track wherein the carrier track determines an arced path for the carrier;

the surgical suturing device further comprising a wall separating the carrier track from the needle track; and

the surgical suturing device further comprising a slotted opening through the wall, the slot communicating between the carrier track and the needle track.

2. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the driver extends through the slotted opening and into the needle track.

3. The surgical suturing device of claim 2, wherein the driver comprises a flat metal blade projecting away from the curved body and through the slotted opening.

4. The surgical suturing device of claim 2, wherein the carrier comprises a flange projecting from the curved body and dimensioned to fit in the slotted opening.

5. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the slotted opening is adjacent the medial edge of the arced needle track.

6. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the slotted opening is adjacent the lateral edge of the arced needle track.

7. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the arced needle track and arced carrier track are co-axial.

8. The surgical suturing device of claim 7, wherein the needle track and carrier track are off-set along the shared axis from one another.

9. The surgical suturing device of claim 8, wherein the needle track and carrier track are co-radial.

10. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the needle further comprises steps dimensioned and adapted to be engaged by the driver.

11. The surgical suturing device of claim 10, wherein the steps are on the medial face of the needle.

12. The surgical suturing device of claim 10, wherein the steps are on the lateral face of the needle.

13. The surgical suturing device of claim 10, wherein the driver comprises a drive face and a return face.

14. The surgical suturing device of claim 1, wherein the driver comprises a flat metal blade projecting away from the carrier.

15. A surgical suturing device, comprising:

an arced needle track;

an arced needle positioned in the needle track, the needle comprising a leading end, a trailing end, a medial face, and a lateral face;

a length of suture connected to the needle;

an arced carrier track, the arced carrier track being off-set along a shared axis with the arced needle track;

a wall separating the arced needle track from the arced carrier track, the wall comprising a slotted opening communicating between the arced carrier track and the arced needle track;

a reciprocating carrier having a curved body matching the arc of the carrier track, the curved body being slideably positioned in the arced carrier track;

a driver extending from the carrier through the slotted opening and into the arced needle track, the driver being operative to engage and slide the needle along the arced needle track; and

a transmission operative to translate the carrier along the arced carrier track wherein the arced carrier track determines an arced path for the carrier.

16. The surgical device of claim 15, wherein the transmission comprises a link pivotally coupled to the carrier.

17. The surgical device of claim 16, wherein the transmission is operative to translate the carrier at least 180 degrees along the carrier track.