Apparatus for suturing a blood vessel

• US 7,041,119 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2002
• Issued: 05/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: David T. Green
• Original Assignee: David T. Green
• Inventors: Green, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Anh Tuan
• Assistant Examiner(s): LYNCH, ROBERT A
• Application Number:
  US10/252,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20030018345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606/144, 606/148, 606/150, 606/151, 606/153, 606/155, 606/167, 606/184
• US Class Current: 606/213
• 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 2017/0038 Simultaneous actuation of two tools by pushing one button 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 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06076 helically or spirally coiled for sutures A61B2017/06171

Abstract

A vascular suturing device is disclosed which includes an elongated tubular body defining opposed proximal and distal end portions and having a longitudinal axis extending therethrough, the body including an inner tubular member, an outer tubular member and a central tubular member disposed between the inner and outer tubular members. The inner tubular member and the central tubular member are mounted for movement relative to the outer tubular member about the longitudinal axis of the body for sequentially driving a pair of suture needles through the wall of a blood vessel to close an incision formed therein. A vascular dilator having a tapered distal tip portion is supported within the inner tubular member and is dimensioned to extend beyond the distal end of the inner tubular member for positioning the suturing device at the incision in the wall of the blood vessel. The dilator is configured to direct blood flow from the distal portion of the dilator to a location remote from the blood vessel for observation to confirm the location of the device.

Claims

1. A suturing device comprising:

a) an inner tubular member having an arcuate channel formed at a distal end thereof for carrying a pair of arcuate suture needles in back-to-back orientation;

b) a central tubular member having a distal driving stem extending into the channel of the inner tubular member and positioned between the pair of suture needles for sequentially driving the suture needles from the channel of the inner tubular member upon rotation of the central tubular member relative to the inner tubular member; and

c) an outer tubular member having a channel formed at a distal end thereof for receiving the pair of arcuate suture-needles after the suture needles have been sequentially driven from the arcuate channel of the inner tubular member by the driving stem of the central tubular member.

2. A suturing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a vascular dilator having an elongated body portion disposed within the inner tubular member and a tapered distal tip portion dimensioned to extend beyond the distal end of the inner tubular member for positioning the suturing device at an incision in the wall of a blood vessel.

3. A suturing device as recited in claim 2, wherein the vascular dilator is fixedly secured to the inner tubular member of the suturing device.

4. A suturing device as recited in claim 2, wherein an annular groove is formed between the tapered distal tip portion and the elongated body portion of the dilator to provide a tactile indication upon entering the blood vessel through the incision.

5. A suturing device as recited in claim 2, wherein the vascular dilator has a central lumen extending therethrough dimensioned and configured to accommodate a guidewire.

6. A suturing device as recited in claim 2, wherein at least one elongated groove is formed in an exterior surface of the elongated body of the vascular dilator for directing vascular blood flow from the distal tip portion of the dilator to a location remote from the blood vessel for observation.

7. A suturing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one elongated groove directs blood flow to a corresponding observation port formed in the tubular members of the suturing device.

8. A suturing device as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one elongated groove directs blood flow to a proximal end of the suturing device.

9. A suturing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising an actuator operatively associated with a proximal end portion of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member for effectuating the relative movement of the inner tubular member and the central tubular member relative to the outer tubular member so as to cause sequential passing of the suture needles from the arcuate channel of the inner tubular member to the arcuate channel of the outer tubular member.

10. A suturing device as recited in claim 9, wherein the inner tubular member, the central tubular member and the outer tubular member include cooperative overlying cam slots, and a cam pin extends through the cooperative overlying cam slots to cause the inner tubular member and the central tubular member to rotate relative to the outer tubular member.

11. A suturing device as recited in claim 10, wherein a proximal retaining pin is operatively associated with a proximal portion of the elongated tubular body for maintaining relative axial positions of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member.

12. A suturing device as recited in claim 11, wherein the proximal portions of each one of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member include means for accommodating the proximal retaining pin.

13. A suturing device as recited in claim 12, wherein the cam pin is operatively connected to the actuator.

14. A suturing device as recited in claim 13, wherein the actuator is mounted for movement relative to a handle member.

15. A suturing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the retaining pin is operatively connected to the handle member.

16. A suturing device as recited in claim 1, further comprising a pair of arcuate suture needles, and an elongated suture extending between the pair of arcuate suture needles.

17. A suturing device comprising:

a) an inner tubular member having an arcuate channel formed at a distal end thereof for carrying a pair of arcuate suture needles in back-to-back orientation;

b) a central tubular member having a distal driving stem extending into the channel of the inner tubular member and positioned between the pair of suture needles for sequentially driving the suture needles from the channel of the inner tubular member upon rotation of the central tubular member relative to the inner tubular member;

c) an outer tubular member having a channel formed at a distal end thereof for receiving the pair of arcuate suture needles after the suture needles have been sequentially driven from the arcuate channel of the inner tubular member by the driving stem of the central tubular member; and

d) a vascular dilator having an elongated body portion disposed within the inner tubular member and a tapered distal tip portion dimensioned to extend beyond the distal end of the inner tubular member for positioning the suturing device at an incision in the wall of a blood vessel, the dilator including means for directing blood flow from the distal tip portion of the dilator to a location remote from the blood vessel for observation to confirm the position of the suturing device.

18. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, wherein an annular groove is formed between the tapered distal tip portion and the elongated body portion of the dilator to provide a tactile indication to a user upon entering the blood vessel through the incision.

19. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the means for directing vascular blood flow includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced apart elongated grooves formed in an exterior surface of the elongated body of the vascular dilator.

20. A suturing device as recited in claim 19, wherein the circumferentially spaced apart elongated grooves direct blood flow to observation ports formed in the tubular members of the suturing device.

21. A suturing device as recited in claim 19, wherein the circumferentially spaced apart elongated grooves direct blood flow to a proximal end of the suturing device.

22. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the vascular dilator is fixedly secured to the inner tubular member of the suturing device.

23. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, wherein the vascular dilator has a central lumen extending therethrough dimensioned and configured to accommodate a guidewire.

24. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, further comprising an actuator operatively associated with a proximal end portion of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member for effectuating the relative movement of the inner tubular member and the central tubular member relative to the outer tubular member so as to cause sequential passing of the suture needles from the arcuate channel of the inner tubular member to the arcuate channel of the outer tubular member.

25. A suturing device as recited in claim 24, wherein the inner tubular member, the central tubular member and the outer tubular member include cooperative overlying cam slots, and a cam pin extends through the cooperative overlying cam slots to cause the inner tubular member and the central tubular member to rotate relative to the outer tubular member.

26. A suturing device as recited in claim 25, wherein a proximal retaining pin is operatively associated with a proximal portion of the elongated tubular body for maintaining relative axial positions of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member.

27. A suturing device as recited in claim 26, wherein the proximal portions of each one of the outer tubular member, the central tubular member and the inner tubular member include means for accommodating the proximal retaining pin.

28. A suturing device as recited in claim 27, wherein the cam pin is operatively connected to the actuator.

29. A suturing device as recited in claim 28, wherein the actuator is mounted for movement relative to a handle member.

30. A suturing device as recited in claim 29, wherein the retaining pin is operatively connected to the handle member.

31. A suturing device as recited in claim 17, further comprising a pair of arcuate suture needles, and an elongated suture extending between the pair of arcuate suture needles.