Systems, devices and methods for suturing patient tissue

• US 20060167476A1
• Filed: 03/27/2006
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perclose Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Perclose Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Burdulis, Albert G. Jr., Whitin, Katherine
• Granted Patent: US 7,377,927 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/144
• 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 17/0491 Sewing machines for surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06061 Holders for needles or sutures, e.g. racks, stands hand-held holding instruments A61B17/0483; holders for articles A61B50/20; racks for syringes or for hypodermic or infusion needles A61M5/008
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/11 for performing anastomosis; Buttons for anastomosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00252 for by-pass connections, i.e. connections from heart chamber to blood vessel or from blood vessel to blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0496 for tensioning sutures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1107 for blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1135 End-to-side connections, e.g. T- or Y-connections Y-shaped blood vessel prostheses A61F2002/065
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/1139 Side-to-side connections, e.g. shunt or X-connections

Abstract

A method of suturing patient tissue together is provided. The method comprises positioning a suture placement device adjacent patient tissue, the suture placement device having a body and a suture holder releasably attached on the body the method further comprises actuating the suture placement device, causing the suture placement device to pass an end portion of at least one suture element through patient tissue in response to actuating the suture placement device and causing the end portion of the at least one suture element to be held on the suture holder of the device after the end portion has been passed through the patient tissue. The method further comprises detaching the suture holder from the body of the device while the end portion of the at least one suture element is held thereon. A suture placement device and a suture placement system which can be used in the method of the invention are also provided.

Claims

1. A method for suturing tissue using a fluid actuated suture placement device, the method comprising:

positioning a fluid actuated suture placement device adjacent patient tissue, the fluid actuated suture placement device having a suture holder releasably associated therewith, the suture holder including a plurality of engaging elements configured to receive cuffs in association therewith;

actuating the fluid actuated suture placement device with a fluid;

causing the fluid actuated suture placement device to pass an end portion of at least one suture element through the tissue, thereby engaging at least one of the engagement elements with a cuff attached to the end portion of the suture;

causing the cuff and the end portion of the at least one suture element to be held on the suture holder after the end portion has passed through the patient tissue; and

detaching the suture holder from the body of the fluid actuated suture placement device while the end portion and the cuff of the at least one suture element is held thereon.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of air, carbon-dioxide, water, and saline solution.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fluid displacement device is actuated with a syringe.

4. The method of claim 3, whereby displacement of the fluid is caused by depression of a syringe plunger.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tissue is a vessel wall having an aperture extending there through.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein causing the fluid actuated suture placement device to pass an end portion of the at least one suture element through patient tissue includes causing the fluid actuated suture placement device to pass the end portion of the at least one suture element through the vessel wall adjacent one side of the aperture.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the suture holder is comprised of at least two parts.

8. The method of claim 8, wherein detaching the suture holder from the body includes detaching both parts of the suture holder from the body while the end portion of the one suture element is held on the one part and the end portion of the other suture element is held on the other part.

9. The method of claim 9, which further comprises positioning another fluid actuated suture placement device to extend through an aperture in another vessel wall.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising positioning a second fluid actuated suture placement device to extend through a mouth of a lumen defined by another vessel wall.

10. The method of claim 10, further comprising actuating the other fluid actuated suture placement device to cause the other fluid actuated suture placement device to pass opposed ends of the suture elements through the other vessel wall, such that the opposed end portion of the one suture element extends through the other vessel wall adjacent one side of its aperture and the opposed end portion of the other suture element extends through the other vessel wall adjacent an opposed side of its aperture.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the other fluid actuated suture placement device includes a suture holder releasably attached to the body, the suture holder having two parts, the method comprising causing the opposed end portion of the one suture element to be held on the one part of the suture holder and the opposed end portion of the other suture element to be held on the other part of the suture holder, after the opposed end portions have been passed through the other vessel wall.

12. The method of claim 12, further comprising detaching the parts of the suture holder of the other fluid actuated suture placement device from its body while the opposed end portions of the suture elements are held thereon.

14. The method of claim 16, further comprising actuating the second fluid actuated suture placement device to cause the second fluid actuated suture placement device to pass opposed ends of suture elements of the second suture placement device through the other vessel wall, such that the opposed end portion of one of the suture element extends through the other vessel wall adjacent one side of the mouth and the opposed end portion of the other suture element extends through the other vessel wall adjacent an opposed side of the mouth.

15. The method of claim 17, wherein the second fluid actuated suture placement device includes a body.