A needle and suture assembly is provided for use with an endoscopic suturing device with a needle holder arm. The needle assembly includes a needle tip and a needle body. The needle tip has a sharp end, a capture groove, a tab groove and a plug portion positioned between the capture groove and the tab groove. The needle body has first and second ends, tip tabs, retainers for removably retaining the needle body relative to the needle holder arm, and a suture opening. The needle tip is fixed relative to the needle body by plastic deformation of the tip tabs into the tab groove. A suture extends into the suture opening of the needle body and is fixed therein.

A method is described for performing a percutaneous operation on a patient to remove an object from a cavity within the patient. The method includes advancing a first alignment sensor into the cavity through a patient lumen. The first alignment sensor provides its position and orientation in free space in real time. The alignment sensor is manipulated until it is located in proximity to the object. A percutaneous opening is made in the patient with a surgical tool, where the surgical tool includes a second alignment sensor that provides the position and orientation of the surgical tool in free space in real time. The surgical tool is directed towards the object using data provided by both the first and the second alignment sensors.

A medical system may include an insertion device having a handle, a shaft coupled to the handle of the insertion device, and a port positioned on the handle of the insertion device. The port may be in fluid communication with a working channel of the shaft. The port may be a female luer port. The medical system may further include a medical device having a control member terminating in an end effector, a handle having a plurality of circumferential slots along the length of the handle, and a plunger moveable along a longitudinal axis of the handle of the medical device between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the end effector may be positioned within the shaft, and in the second position, the end effector may be positioned distally of the shaft.

A system and method for nerve decompression comprise a knife unit having a parallel upper limb and lower limb terminating proximally at the cap of the tubular sheath and a triangular shaped surgical cutting blade disposed vertically in between the upper limb and the lower limb. Upper limb and lower limb extend distally beyond the cutting blade and have open slots to facilitate proper positioning and engaging of the tissue while allowing visualization of less routing structure. The knife receives the probe head of an endoscope just behind cutting blade for proper visualization and illumination. The guiding system comprises a handle unit and a pair of parallel guides with long open slots that act as a cannula of adjustable diameter. The open slots on parallel guides facilitate 360 degree visualization of the surroundings and also prevent derailing of endoscopic knife unit while passing through it.

A medical device includes a handle that includes a handle body longitudinally extending from a proximal end to a distal end; a distal connector configured to connect to a proximal end of an elongate outer member; a lumen longitudinally extending through the handle body, the lumen configured to have an elongate inner member movably disposed therein, and to permit the elongate inner member to distally extend past the distal end to within the elongate outer member and to proximally extend past the proximal end; and an inner member controller configured to longitudinally move relative to the handle body to control movement of the elongate inner member relative to the elongate outer member. The handle may be a distal handle of the medical device, which further includes a proximal handle. Both handles may control movement of the elongate inner and outer members.

A system loads an endoscopic needle into an endoscopic suturing device. The system includes a loading tool having a handle portion configured to be manipulated by a medical professional. The system also includes a needle cover coupling portion configured to removably couple with a needle cover. The needle cover is configured to couple with a delivery housing. The needle cover is further configured to secure a needle within a needle track of the delivery housing when coupled with the delivery housing. The loading tool is configured to couple the needle cover with the delivery housing. The loading tool is further configured to uncouple the needle cover from the delivery housing.

A clipping system includes an adapter configured to be mounted over an insertion device and a clip including first and second jaws movable between an insertion configuration and an initial deployed configuration. A first extending member is releasably coupled to the clip and movably connected to the adapter to permit a movement of the clip relative to the adapter from the insertion configuration to the initial deployed configuration. The first extending member is configured to permit withdrawal of the adapter away from the clip to place the system in a review configuration to enhance a visual observation of the clip. The first extending member is operable to retract the clip over the adapter so that the clip is forced open, freeing the clip from tissue on which it has been clipped. The first extending member is configured to release the clip therefrom in a final deployed configuration.

A powered handle assembly includes a motor assembly, a rack, a spur gear, and a manual retract mechanism. The spur gear is movable from a position engaged with the motor assembly and the rack to a positioned disengaged from the motor assembly and engaged with the rack to facilitate manual retraction of the rack.

A clipping system includes an adapter mounted on an insertion device and a clip including first and second jaws connected via hinges so that the first and second jaws are movable between an insertion configuration and an initial deployed configuration. A deployment member is configured to move the clip distally over and off of the adapter so that, as the clip leaves the adapter, the clip moves from the insertion configuration to the initial deployed configuration. An extending member is releasably coupled to the clip and movably connected to the adapter, and is configured to permit the withdrawal of the adapter away from the clip while the extending member remains coupled to the clip to place the system in a review configuration. The extending member is operable to retract the clip over the adapter, freeing the clip from tissue on which it had been clipped.

A seeker device for facilitating access to a desired location within an ear, nose, throat or other location in a body may include a proximal shaft, an elastic distal portion, and an atraumatic distal tip. The elastic distal portion has a default shape with at least one curve to facilitate advancement of a distal end of the elastic distal portion through various anatomical passageways, toward the desired location. In some embodiments, the seeker device may be paired with a dilator device, to perform a dilation procedure on an anatomical structure in the ear, nose, throat or other part of the body. In other embodiments, the seeker device may be paired with a flexible endoscope, to facilitate visualization of an anatomical structure or area.