Suturing device with reusable shaft and disposable cartridge

• US 9,427,227 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 08/30/2016
• 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., Haberstich, Wells D., Woodard, James A. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): TANNER, JOCELIN C
• Application Number:
  US13/832,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20140171975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,264 Days
• 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 system comprises a reusable shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end has a receiver and a rotary drive. A reusable actuator is connected to the proximal end of the shaft. A disposable cartridge is adapted to be attached to and detached from the receiver. The cartridge comprises an arced track, an arced needle positioned in the track having a leading end and a trailing end, a length of suture connected to the trailing end, a reciprocating needle driver operative to engage and move the needle in the arced circular track, and a transmission operatively connected to the needle driver having a rotary input adapted to couple to the rotary drive. The reusable shaft and actuator may be autoclavable.

Claims

1. A surgical suturing system, the system comprising:

a shaft comprising a proximal end and a distal end, the distal end comprising a receiver and a rotary drive, wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis and wherein the rotary drive comprises a rack and pinion, the pinion having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft;

an actuator connected to the proximal end of the shaft;

a disposable cartridge adapted to be attached to and detached from the receiver, the cartridge comprising;

an arced track;

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

a length of suture connected to the trailing end;

a reciprocating needle driver operative to engage and move the needle in the arced circular track; and

a transmission operatively connected to the needle driver, the transmission comprising a rotary input adapted to couple to the rotary drive.

2. The surgical suturing system of claim 1, wherein the shaft and actuator are autoclavable.

3. The surgical suturing system of claim 1, wherein when the cartridge is attached to the receiver, the rotatory input has an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of rotation of the pinion.

4. A disposable surgical needle cartridge adapted to be attached to and detached from a surgical suturing device comprising a shaft with a longitudinal axis and a rotary drive comprising a rack and pinion, the pinion having an axis of rotation perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, the disposable cartridge comprising:

an arced needle track;

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

a length of suture connected to the needle;

a reciprocating needle driver operative to engage and move the needle in the needle track; and

a transmission operatively connected to the needle driver; and

a torsional interface adapted to couple the transmission to a rotary drive in the surgical suturing device;

wherein the reciprocating needle driver and transmission are completely encased in the cartridge; and

wherein when the disposable surgical needle cartridge is attached to the surgical suturing device, the torsional interface has an axis of rotation aligned with the axis of rotation of the pinion.

5. The disposable surgical needle cartridge of claim 4, wherein the surgical suturing device is reusable.

6. The disposable surgical needle cartridge of claim 4, wherein the surgical suturing device comprises an elongate shaft with a proximal end, a distal end, and a receiver adapted to interface with the cartridge.

7. The disposable surgical needle cartridge of claim 4, further comprising a surgical suturing device.