Filing Information

Inventor(s)	John C. MEADE · Douglas M. MACARTHUR · Stephen M. BLINN · Christopher SAULINER · Brian R. EDWARDS · Gerald I. BRECHER ·
Assignee(s)	SUTURTEK INCORPORATED ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Brian R. POLLACK ·
Application Number	US2007002204
Filing date	01/29/2007
Publication date	08/09/2007
U.S. Classifications	--
International Classifications	A61B 17/06  ·
Kind Code	A3

Patent Family

Abstract

A tissue closure device includes a pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a drive mechanism at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the drive mechanism is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end about a rotational axis and a cartridge having a protective housing and the suturing needle, the cartridge extending from a distal end of a cartridge holder assembly and releasably attached to the cartridge holder assembly. A pointed end of the suturing needle may be positioned within the protective housing before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about the rotational axis. A removable electronic module may be provided controlled by an actuator that mechanically engages the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism, thereby rotating the suturing needle about the rotational axis.

Independent Claims | See all claims (74)

1. CLAIMS
2. What is claimed is:
3. 1. A tissue closure device comprising:
4. a pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a drive mechanism at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the drive mechanism is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end about a rotational axis;
5. a cartridge having a protective housing and the suturing needle, the cartridge extending from a distal end of a cartridge holder assembly and releasably attached to the cartridge holder assembly, wherein a pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the protective housing before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about the rotational axis; and
6. a removable electronic module controlled by an actuator that mechanically engages the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism, thereby rotating the suturing needle about the rotational axis.
7. a curved lip covering an arc greater than about 180° and less than about 330°;
8. at least one groove for engaging an anti-rotate and locking bar on the cartridge holder assembly;
9. a track in a wall whereby the suturing needle follows a curved path along the track during needle rotation; and an aperture in the curved lip which intercepts the track whereby the pointed end of the suturing needle traverses the aperture during each revolution of the suturing needle along the path.
10. a power source for providing power to the electronic module;
11. a motor and a gear box that provide a rotational force to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism to rotate the suturing needle;
12. an electronics board that controls operation of the electronic module;
13. a stop plate that limits the rotation of the drive shaft and the drive mechanism; and
14. a drive wheel having a drive pin that engages a drive plate on the pusher assembly and supplies a torque to drive the suturing needle, and at least two magnets and a Hall effect sensor used to detect the rotational travel of the drive shaft.
15. 19. A cartridge for housing a suturing needle for use in tissue re-approximation comprising:
16. a housing having a curved shape, an inner wall and an outer wall;
17. a track in the inner wall of the housing whereby the suturing needle follows a curved path along the track during a revolution of the suturing needle; and an aperture in the housing that intercepts the track, wherein the housing shields the pointed end of the suturing needle during at least a portion of the revolution of the suturing needle.
18. 20. A suturing needle for use in tissue re-approximation comprising:
19. a curved body having a pointed end that is protected at an end of a rotation cycle and a blunt end that engages a suturing material, wherein the suturing material comprises a flexible leader engaged to a wire suture.
20. 28. A method for tissue re-approximation comprising:
21. (a) releasably engaging a cartridge having a protective housing and a suturing needle to a cartridge holder assembly of a tissue closure device;
22. (b) placing the tissue closure device having the cartridge and the suturing needle to cause an aperture in the cartridge to be between a first side and a second side of a tissue segment, wherein a pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the protective housing before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about a rotational axis;
23. (c) activating an electronic module coupled to a pusher assembly that releasably engages the suturing needle to cause rotational movement of the suturing needle across the aperture in the cartridge and advance the suturing needle through the first side of the split tissue segment;
24. (d) pulling a suturing material attached to the suturing needle through the first side of the split tissue segment; and
25. (e) repeating steps (c) and (d) for the second side of the split tissue segment forming a stitch through the first side and the second side of the split tissue segment.
26. a pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a drive mechanism at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the drive mechanism is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end about a rotational axis; and a cartridge holder assembly to which the cartridge having the protective housing and the suturing needle is releasably attached.
27. a curved Hp covering an arc greater than about 180° and less than about 330°;
28. at least one groove for engaging an anti-rotate and locking bar on the cartridge holder assembly;
29. a track in a wall whereby the suturing needle follows a curved path along the track during needle rotation; and
30. an aperture in the curved lip which intercepts the track whereby the pointed end of the suturing needle traverses the aperture during each revolution of the suturing needle along the path.
31. a power source for providing power to the electronic module;
32. a motor and a gear box that provide a rotational force to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism to rotate the suturing needle;
33. an electronics board that controls operation of the electronic module;
34. a stop plate that limits the rotation of the drive shaft and the drive mechanism; and
35. a drive wheel having a drive pin that engages a drive plate on the pusher assembly and supplies a torque to drive the suturing needle, and at least two magnets and a Hall effect sensor used to detect the rotational travel of the drive shaft.