Suturing devices and methods for closing a patent foramen ovale

• US 8,246,636 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2008
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gary S. Kohler, Pandora Select Partners, L.P., Scarab Technology Services, LLC, Scot W. Malloy
• Original Assignee: Nobles Medical Technologies, Inc
• Inventors: Nobles, Anthony A., Brosch, Benjamin G., Decker, Steven E., Mullen, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): Scherbel, Todd J
• Application Number:
  US12/057,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20080269786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 606/139, 606144-150
• US Class Current: 606/144
• 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 2017/00243 cardiac
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00575 for closure at remote site, e.g. closing atrial septum defects
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00623 Introducing or retrieving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/047 having at least one proximally pointing needle located at the distal end of the instrument, e.g. for suturing trocar puncture wounds starting from inside the body J-shaped suture needles A61B2017/0608
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0472 Multiple-needled, e.g. double-needled, instruments

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for closing a patent foramen ovale. Some of the disclosed apparatuses include an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, with first and second suture clasp arms adapted to hold end portions of a suture when in an extended position. A first suture catch mechanism is slidably housed in the elongate body and moves in a proximal-to-distal direction to engage the suture end held by the first suture clasp arm, and a second suture catch mechanism is slidably housed in the elongate body and moves in a distal-to-proximal direction to suture end held by the second suture clasp arm. The first suture clasp arm can be positioned around the septum primum to deliver a suture thereto, and the second suture clasp arm can be positioned around the septum secundum to deliver a suture thereto.

Claims

1. A system for suturing a patent foramen ovale, comprising a first suturing apparatus and a second suturing apparatus;

the first suturing apparatus comprising;

a first elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a first suture clasp arm adapted to hold a first suture end portion, the first suture clasp arm being extendable from said body from a retracted position to an extended position and configured to be placed around a septum primum of the patent foramen ovale, wherein the first suture clasp arm is the only suture clasp arm of the first suturing apparatus;

a first suture catch mechanism slidably housed in said elongate body, the first suture catch mechanism being moveable in a proximal to distal direction through the septum primum of the patent foramen ovate to engage a distal end of the first suture catch mechanism with the first suture end portion held by the first suture clasp arm when the first suture clasp arm is in the extended position; and

a first guide configured to deflect the first suture catch mechanism when the first suture catch mechanism moves in the proximal to distal direction; and

the second suturing apparatus comprising;

a second elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a second suture clasp arm adapted to hold a second suture end portion, the second suture clasp arm being extendable from said body from a retracted position to an extended position and configured to be placed around a septum secundum of the patent foramen ovale, wherein the second suture clasp arm is the only suture clasp arm of the second suturing apparatus;

a second suture catch mechanism slidably housed in said elongate body, the second suture catch mechanism being moveable in a distal-to-proximal direction through the septum secundum of the patent foramen ovale to engage a distal end of the second suture catch mechanism with the second suture end portion held by the second suture clasp arm when the second suture clasp arm is in the extended position; and

a second guide configured to deflect the second suture catch mechanism when the second suture catch mechanism moves in the distal-to-proximal direction.