A device is described. The device includes a suture guide and a tissue retracting surface to enable accurate and safe delivery of sutures through tissue.

Systems, assemblies, and methods are provided herein for fastening of one bone to another bone using one or more sutures. The features herein enable such fastening with a more accurate strength, and which can be more easily fastened in-situ.

A method of closing a patent foramen ovale (PFO) including a septum primum and septum secundum is implemented using a suture device including an operational shaft housing an anchor assembly, a needle assembly, and a suture. The method includes advancing an end of the operational shaft to a proximal side of the PFO, positioning a distal portion of the end of the operational shaft on a distal side of the PFO, and actuating the anchor assembly to deploy the anchor assembly on the distal side of the PFO. The method also includes actuating the needle assembly on the proximal side of the PFO to deploy the needle assembly through the PFO and the anchor assembly, thereby deploying the suture through the PFO. The method further includes retracting the anchor assembly into the operational shaft, and withdrawing the distal portion of the operational shaft from the PFO, leaving the deployed suture.

The present invention includes a single molded strip of suture anchors frangibly connected to each other that can be preloaded with a suture and then deployed at the site of use inside the body. This configuration eliminates the need to reload an anchor when multiple anchors are required. Further, this molded strip of anchors can include different variations of a suture anchor or locking device all in the same single strip. The strip would typically be molded from plastic or metal and would offer the additional advantage of being injection molded in a one piece shot which would not only save on cost per anchor but would offer assembly advantages as well.

A suture having a first end for penetrating tissue, an elongated suture body having a periphery; a plurality of retainers on the periphery, and a second end having a variable loop of variable circumference, wherein the variable loop includes a fixed loop slidably engaging the elongated body for slidingly varying the circumference of the variable loop, and wherein the first end may pass through the variable loop to secure tissue as an anchor, the anchor preventing movement of the suture in the direction of deployment of the first end.

A heart tissue gripping device may include a body portion, an elongate shaft, and a tissue gripping member that is attached to the distal end of the elongate shaft. The tissue gripping member being may be positioned adjacent a heart surface by insertion through an incision in the body. The tissue gripping member may releasably attach to tissue of the heart surface to facilitate a surgical instrument in performing one or more procedures. A coupling of the tissue gripping member may releasably attach the surgical device to the tissue gripping member to allow the device to access the tissue of the heart surface.

The present teachings provide methods for resizing, reducing, and/or closing an atrial appendage. A delivery catheter is percutaneously advanced to the atrial appendage. At least two tissue anchors are implanted in tissue of the heart. Both tissue anchors are pulled together so that the atrial appendage is resized, reduced, and/or closed. This closure method and system could be used alone in closing the atrial appendage. This closure method and system could also be used in addition to other treatment mechanisms.

A soft tissue fixing anchor includes: an anchor member which is inserted to the bone cavity interior and prevented from moving in the bone cavity interior by the artificial joint when the artificial joint is implanted; and a suture of which one end portion is fixed to the anchor member and the other end portion is exposed to a bone cavity exterior of the bone so as to be sutured to the soft tissue.

A suspension fixation device includes a first fastener assembled to an adjustable loop of suture. The second fastener has a slot configured to allow the second fastener to be assembled to the suture loop once the suture loop has been passed through a drill hole. The second fastener further comprises a suture bridge formed through a post of the fastener for housing the suture loop while the slot is configured to prohibit the suture loop from migrating back out of the suture bridge.

The present invention relates to tissue approximation and fixation, and surgical staples and staple placement devices for surgery and the like. The present invention includes surgical staples having solid first and second legs for anchoring into respective tissue portions, and an elastically deformable bridge monolithically formed with the first leg and the second leg, the legs each forming respective angles greater than 90 degrees with respective portions of said elastically deformable bridge. The present invention also includes staple insertion device comprising a handle portion and substantially parallel insertion portions extending from the handle, the insertion portions each having an interior lateral channel, and each insertion portions having a terminal point.