Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for suturing a wound, incision, or other opening. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a helically-shaped needle having a helical radius, the needle having a shaft and drawing a filament from a trailing end. Two generally-parallel rollers are configured to engage therebetween the shaft, the first roller having a roller radius that is less than the helical radius of the needle to enable the needle to revolve around the first roller to pierce a body adjacent the first roller and to draw the filament therethrough. A frame is configured to counter-rotatably support the rollers. The frame includes couplings configured to detachably receive distal ends of a support shaft and drive member extending from a drive mechanism, the drive member being configured to provide the rotational force to at least one of the rollers.

Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for suturing a wound, incision, or other opening. In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes a roller mechanism configured to counter-rotatably support two generally-parallel rollers configured to engage therebetween a shaft of a helically-shaped needle, the needle having a point at a leading end, drawing a filament from a trailing end, and having a first helical radius, the needle being revolvable around a first roller having a roller radius that is less than a helical radius of the needle to enable the needle to pierce a body and draw a filament through a body disposed adjacent the first roller. A motor drive is operably coupled with roller mechanism to convey rotational force to rotate the two generally-parallel rollers. A controller is operably coupled with the motor drive and configured to cause the needle to complete at least one revolution to form a single suture in the body.

An apparatus and method for minimally invasive suturing is disclosed. A suturing device for minimally invasive suturing includes proximal section having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween; a suture head assembly extending from the distal end of the proximal section; a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end, the suturing needle capable of rotating about an axis approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the proximal section, wherein the pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the suture head assembly prior to and after rotation of the suturing needle; and an actuator extending from the proximal end of the proximal section to actuate a drive mechanism having a needle driver for engaging and rotating the suturing needle.

An assembly includes a flexible fixation member, a suture, and a delivery device. The fixation member includes a body with two terminal ends. A suture passes through the flexible fixation member at various points along a length of the body such that portions of the fixation member are slidable relative to the suture and configurable to form a cluster within a surgical site. The delivery device includes a tubular member, an elongated inserter, and a trigger. The elongated inserter is slidably disposed within the tubular member. The inserter has a forked distal end configured to receive a portion of the flexible fixation member and the suture. The trigger is finger-engagable and fixedly coupled to the proximal end of the inserter. It is configured to advance and retract the inserter relative to the tubular member. The trigger includes a retention member for retaining a proximal end portion of the suture.

A surgical closure apparatus for facilitating closure of a wound includes an outer member dimensioned for positioning within a wound opening and defining a central longitudinal axis, and having a first longitudinal passage and a second longitudinal passage, a needle assembly at least partially disposed within the first longitudinal passage of the outer member, and a suture configured for at least partially closing the wound opening and extending at least partially through the second longitudinal passage of the outer member. The needle assembly includes a needle drive and a suture needle mounted to the needle drive and coupled to the suture. The suture needle is adapted for rotational movement relative to the central longitudinal axis between an unarmed condition and an armed condition through manipulation of the needle drive. The suture needle is positioned for passage through tissue adjacent the wound opening when in the armed condition.

A medical device including an elongate member extending from a proximal end toward a distal end, the elongate member having a lumen with a longitudinal axis, a hub portion towards the proximal end of the elongate member and configured for a user to hold and manipulate a position of the elongate member, a base portion including a first groove and a second groove separated by an opening, and two wings disposed towards a distal end of the medical device, the two wings being opposite each other across the longitudinal axis and on opposite sides of the base portion, wherein, the two wings are configured to move in relation to the longitudinal axis and wherein each wing has an elongate slot having a closed first end at a location between the base portion and a peripheral end of the wing.

A medical device including an elongate member extending from a proximal end toward a distal end, the elongate member having a lumen with a longitudinal axis, a hub portion towards the proximal end of the elongate member and configured for a user to hold and manipulate a position of the elongate member, a base portion including a first groove and a second groove separated by an opening, and two wings disposed towards a distal end of the medical device, the two wings being opposite each other across the longitudinal axis and on opposite sides of the base portion, wherein, the two wings are configured to move in relation to the longitudinal axis and wherein each wing has an elongate slot having a closed first end at a location between the base portion and a peripheral end of the wing.

A wound closure device includes a shaft, a needle, and a housing. The needle includes a first leg portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft, a curved portion, and a second leg portion including a needled end portion terminating at a needle tip. The housing includes a first channel slidingly engaged with the elongated body of the shaft and a second channel slidingly engageable with the second leg portion of the needle. The second channel terminates at an opening defined within a notched section defined in a proximal portion of the housing. The needle is movable to a covered position in which the needle tip is disposed within the second channel of the housing, an advanced position in which the needle tip is disposed distal to the housing, and a retracted position in which the needle tip is disposed within the notched section of the housing.

The present invention relates to a trocar-integrated suturing device that supplies a suture to a surgical site after laparoscopic surgery such that the end of the suture is supported by human tissues to easily make a knot when suturing the human tissues.

The trocar-integrated suturing device includes: a trocar including a cylindrical cannula being inserted into a human tissue and a body coupled to an upper portion of the cannula to be able to discharge gas existing in the human tissue; a needle ejector disposed to be movable up and down in the cannula and having a sharp punch at a front end to be able to penetrate flesh; a needle assembly supplying a suture into a human tissue using a needle moving in a pair of guide grooves disposed on an outer side of the cannula; and a head coupled to an upper portion of the body.

Disclosed herein are minimally invasive systems and methods for intravascularly accessing the heart and performing a transcatheter repair of a heart valve by inserting a suture as an artificial chordae into a heart valve leaflet. In various embodiments, such systems and methods can be employed in other heart valve repair procedures such an edge to edge repair to coapt leaflets by inserting one or more sutures that retain the leaflets in a coapted positioned or inserting a suture to repair a tear in a leaflet, for example.