Provided herein is an endoscopic suturing system configured for attachment to, and use with, an endoscope.

A suturing system including an elongate distal member, an elongate proximal member proximal the elongate distal member, and a needle guide disposed between the elongate distal member and the elongate proximal member. A plurality of needles with a needle tip of each needle of the plurality of needles are orientated generally proximally toward a single opening in a distal end of the elongate proximal member. When the needle tip of each of the plurality of needles is at least partially disposed within the single opening, a portion of each needle of the plurality of needles, proximal a distal end of the needle guide, being radially separated by a distance less than a diameter of the elongated proximal member.

A suture passer includes a handle assembly, a shaft extending distally from the handle assembly, an end effector assembly coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, and an overstroke assembly. The overstroke assembly effects an opening and a closing of the end effector assembly while also preventing an overstroke of the handle assembly from damaging components of the suture passer.

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.

A tissue fixation system including a delivery tube and an elongated fastener with a loop at a proximal end and a distal end. A proximal end of an elongated curved needle is attached to the delivery tube. A distal end of the needle is configured to penetrate tissue. The needle includes an open channel sized to receive the elongated fastener with the loop located near the proximal end of the elongated curved needle and the distal end of the elongated fastener located near the distal end of the elongated curved needle. A capture needle is slidably positioned in the delivery tube to slide through the loop in the proximal end of the elongated fastener. The capture needle is configured to grasp the distal end of the elongated fastener and pull the distal end of the elongated fastener through the loop to cinch the elongated fastener.

A medical apparatus that includes a distal member, a needle disposed in the distal member and proximally advanceable from the distal member, and a needle capture portion positioned proximal to the distal member and which includes a through-hole to direct the needle from the needle capture portion towards a graspable member at a trajectory narrower than a trajectory of the needle from the distal member to the needle capture portion.

Suturing devices and systems used to close openings into a biological structure. The suturing device can comprise an elongate member having a proximal end, a distal end, one or more arms, and one or more needles. One or more sheaths may be used with the device to maintain or substantially maintain haemostasis while the device is used and while a procedure is performed in the biological structure.

An endoscopic stitching device includes an actuation shaft, a tool assembly, and a drive assembly. The tool assembly includes a suture needle and a pair of jaws transitionable between open and closed positions. Each jaw includes a needle engaging blade slidably supported thereon. Each needle engaging blade is transitionable between an extended position in which the needle engaging blade engages the suture needle and a retracted position in which the needle engaging blade is disengaged from the suture needle. The drive assembly includes first, second, and third electrical actuators. The first actuator is operatively coupled with the actuation shaft to cause axial displacement of the actuation shaft. The axial displacement of the actuation shaft causes opening and closing of the pair of jaws. The second and third actuators are operatively coupled with the needle engaging blades to provide axial displacement of the needle engaging blades.

Devices are provided for a suturing device used during laparoscopic surgical procedures. A suturing needle includes a shaft forming a rod axis; a curved body having a piercing tip at a first end and a base at a second end; and an arm extending radially from the shaft to the base of the curved body such that the curved body is positioned in a plane orthogonal to the rod axis of the shaft and rotatable about the shaft in the plane orthogonal to the rod axis. The suturing device includes a housing, a suturing needle, one or more sutures, a suture magazine configured to hold the one or more sutures, and a drive system, whereby the drive system may actuate the suturing needle to rotate in the plane orthogonal to the drive system, allowing the suturing needle to drive in to and out of tissue to apply a suture.

An elongated deployment shaft carrying a needle deployment assembly with needles carrying sutures and a stabilizer. A catcher tube over the shaft having a catcher assembly at a distal end may retain a portion of the needles when passed through the tissue into engagement with catcher assembly. The catcher and needle deployment assemblies are configured to asynchronously engage the plurality of needles when moved distally beyond the catcher assembly. A sheath over the catcher tube may sandwich the tissue against the stabilizer when expanded. A first actuator may move catcher tube distally to decrease distance between proximal and distal ends of the stabilizer expand it and may move the sheath distally to sandwich the tissue. A second actuator may deflect the needles outward to move proximally through the tissue and engage the catcher and return a portion of each not retained by the catcher to a distal position.