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 reciprocating needle drive having a needle driver for engaging and rotating the suturing needle.

A suture passer for introducing a suture through two holes spaced at a fixed distance through a cortical portion of a patient's bone. The suture passer includes a body, a sheath and an introducer sheath. The body has a proximal end, a distal end and finger grips. A hollow portion extends through the body. The sheath is connected to the distal end of the body and is substantially hollow.

The sheath defines a longitudinal axis. The introducer sheath has a suture lumen extending therethrough generally parallel to the longitudinal axis. The introducer sheath is movably mounted within the hollow of the sheath. The introducer sheath includes a flexible tip. The introducer sheath is movable relative to the sheath between a retracted configuration and an extended configuration wherein the flexible tip has an approximate one hundred eighty degree (180) turn.

System for fixation of leaflets of a heart valve including a delivery catheter having an elongated shaft, a proximal end portion and a distal end portion configured to be positioned proximate native leaflets of a heart valve from a remote vascular access point, the delivery catheter further includes a rotatable actuator rod having a threaded fastener at a distal end thereof, and a fixation device releasably coupled by a threaded connection to the threaded fastener of the actuator rod. The fixation device includes a first arm moveable between a closed position and an open position, a second arm moveable between a closed position and an open position. The fixation device further includes a first gripping element movable relative to the first arm in the open position, the first gripping element biased toward the first arm to capture a first leaflet of the heart valve therebetween, and a second gripping element movable relative to the second arm in the open position, the second gripping element biased toward the second arm to capture a second leaflet of the heart valve therebetween. The first gripping element and the second gripping element each includes a plurality of barbs extending therefrom, the plurality of barbs of each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element being aligned transversely in at least one row. The fixation device further includes a covering disposed on each of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, wherein the plurality of barbs of the first gripping element and the second gripping element, respectively, protrude through the covering.

A suture passing device includes a jaw assembly that is moved to an open configuration after exiting a hollow needle distal tip and moved to a closed configuration when retracted into the needle tip. The jaw assembly may include a pair of jaw members biased to a default diverging configuration. A suture capturing mechanism formed on the jaw members securely captures suture to both push and pull the captured when the jaw assembly is retracted into the hollow distal tip. The jaw members have configurations of teeth that may be staggered axially and vertically.

Surgical tools that are capable of both manipulating a needle and cutting surgical thread during a suturing operation can sometimes be problematic due to inadvertent severing of the surgical thread. Surgical tools capable of exposing a bladed cutting surface only when severing of surgical thread is desired can substantially alleviate this issue. Such surgical tools may comprise an end effector comprising an end effector axle, a first jaw and a second jaw rotatably mounted to the end effector axle, and a first cutting body having a first blade and second cutting body having a second blade. The first cutting body is configured to move in tandem with the first jaw and the second cutting body is configured to move in tandem with the second jaw, such that the first and second blades are occluded when the first and second jaws are closed or partially opened.

A method and device for closing a port site incision after a minimally invasive surgical procedure is performed includes an elongate body and a tool assembly supported on a distal portion of the elongate body. The tool assembly includes a suture needle that is moved between an active position in which a tip of the suture needle is exposed and an active position in which the tip of the needle is received within a shield supported on the elongate body by an actuation member. The actuation member is connected to the suture needle by a linkage that maintains a longitudinal axis of the suture needle parallel to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body as the tool assembly is moved between the active and inactive positions.

The invention relates to a suturing device used to place sutures inside the human body during various medical procedures. The suturing device includes an elongate body member, a needle deployment mechanism and a needle receiving portion. The elongate body member has a distal portion that defines an opening. The needle deployment mechanism is disposed at least partially within the elongate body member for moving a needle out of the opening at the distal portion of the elongate body member into a tissue; and the needle receiving portion is provided at the distal portion of the elongate body member to capture the needle. The needle receiving portion has a non-planar surface with walls that are non-parallel with respect to a longitudinal direction of the needle receiving portion such that the walls converge to form an aperture formed in the needle receiving portion to receive the needle.

An apparatus includes a handle, a cartridge configured to removably couple to the handle, an actuator movably coupled to the handle, and a lock operably coupled to the actuator. A first needle assembly and a second needle assembly of the cartridge are operably coupled to a first coupling portion and a second coupling portion, respectively, of the actuator when the cartridge is coupled to the handle. The first coupling portion is configured to transition the first needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a first capture portion engages a first needle. The second coupling portion is configured to transition the second needle assembly from a first configuration to a second configuration such that a second capture portion engages the second needle. The lock is configured to selectively limit movement of the first coupling portion and the second coupling portion.

Suturing apparatuses configured to suture biological tissue, such as an anatomical valve. The suturing apparatuses can comprise an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, one or more arms, and one or more needles. A protective member may be used to inhibit contact between a distal end of a needle and surrounding tissue. Methods for suturing bodily tissue such as an anatomical valve may be performed with the suturing apparatuses. The suturing apparatuses may be used to suture adjacent valve leaflets or the base of a valve in order to treat or repair the valve.

A device for suturing a heart valve prosthesis includes an assembly cooperating with an actuation handle. The assembly is arranged at the free end of a manipulation rod and includes a set of needles arranged in parallel and pointing in a direction opposite the free end of the rod and connected in pairs by suture threads running along and inside the rod. The set of needles is maintained in a cylindrical configuration between a plurality of guides through which the pairs of needles slide freely, and a plurality of pusher elements supporting the pairs of needles from the direction of the free end of the rod. The guides and the pusher elements are movable along the rod and are connected pivotably to the rod so as to change, under the action of control means, from a position retracted along the rod to a deployed position spaced apart from the rod.