A trocar wound closure system includes a suture passing needle and a guide for directing the needle through the wound site. A distal portion of the needle includes a capture rod with a slot. An obturator tube with a cutout section can be axially actuated to align the cutout section with the slot, and then moved out of alignment so as to capture the suture. The guide includes at least two tracks for directing the needle through the tissue track. A suture catcher is located adjacent to the exit of each track and configured to be actuated from a radially extended configuration to a retracted configuration so as to capture the suture section inserted through each loop. Radially expandable arms at distal section are movable between an expanded configuration and a slender configuration.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an end effector for use with a surgical device is provided. The end effector includes a drive assembly, a driver, a needle assembly and a biasing element. The driver is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly. Rotation of the drive assembly in a first direction causes distal translation of the driver with respect to the drive assembly. The needle assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the driver. Distal translation of the driver causes a corresponding distal translation of the needle assembly. The biasing element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the needle assembly and is configured to bias the needle assembly proximally.

Systems, devices and methods for securing tissue including the annulus of a mitral valve. The systems, devices and methods may employ catheter based techniques and devices to plicate tissue and perform an annuloplasty.

The present disclosure provides a heart valve repair method, comprising: advancing a distal end of a suture implanting apparatus from an outside of a body through a transapical approach into a left ventricle or a right ventricle of a heart; holding each leaflet of a heart valve with the distal end of the suture implanting apparatus; implanting at least one suture into the leaflet; withdrawing the suture implanting apparatus from the body; advancing a distal end of a suture locking apparatus from the outside of a body through a transapical approach into the corresponding left ventricle or the corresponding right ventricle; using the suture locking apparatus to lock the plurality of sutures; and withdrawing the suture locking apparatus from the body. The heart valve repair method has a simple surgical procedure, a low degree of patient trauma, and a high success rate of surgery.

Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for closing a patent foramen ovale. Some of the disclosed apparatuses include an elongate body having a proximal end and a distal end, with first and second suture clasp arms adapted to hold end portions of a suture when in an extended position. A first suture catch mechanism is slidably housed in the elongate body and moves in a proximal-to-distal direction to engage the suture end held by the first suture clasp arm, and a second suture catch mechanism is slidably housed in the elongate body and moves in a distal-to-proximal direction to suture end held by the second suture clasp arm. The first suture clasp arm can be positioned around the septum primum to deliver a suture thereto, and the second suture clasp arm can be positioned around the septum secundum to deliver a suture thereto.

A surgical access system is disclosed. The surgical access system having a cannula may include a distal tip having one or more longitudinal channels distributed around a circumference of the distal tip, and one or more circumferential channels around the distal tip. The surgical access system also includes an obturator coaxially insertable within the cannula which may include a distal tip and a retractable cutting element having an actuator. The surgical access system also includes an articulation interface. The surgical access system may also include a distal tip of the cannula that may further include one or more bridges distributed circumferentially along the one or more circumferential channels of the distal tip. The obturator further may include an elongated tube and a slidable plunger element configured to control fluid flow inside the elongated tube of the obturator.

A soft tissue repair device. The device includes an inserter having a distal portion, a first anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, a second anchor carried externally onto the distal portion, and a flexible strand coupling the first and second anchors and forming an adjustable knotless loop.

A surgical device for suturing a body lumen is described, as well as methods for suturing tissue employing the surgical device. The device can include a body having a shaft and a foot for insertion into an opening in the body lumen. The device can include tissue ports between the shaft and the foot configured to receive tissue surrounding the opening in the body lumen. The foot can include a suture secured to needle capture devices. The device can include needles that can be advanced through tissue and into the needle capture devices. The needle capture devices can then be withdrawn, thereby harvesting the suture, which can then be used to close the opening in the body lumen.

A method for closing an opening in biological tissue of intra-abdominal structures, which includes the steps of (i) providing a tissue closure system that includes a suture guide sub-system for engaging tissue disposed proximate the tissue opening and a suture passer sub-system that slideably engages the suture guide sub-system, (ii) inserting the suture guide sub-system into and through a tissue opening, (iii) inserting the suture passer sub-system with a section of suture engaged thereto into and through a first tissue region, (iv) rotating the suture guide sub-system, (v) inserting the suture passer sub-system with another section of suture engaged thereto into and through a second tissue region, (vi) withdrawing suture guide sub-system, (vii) releasing both sections of the suture captured by the suture guide sub-system, and (viii) drawing both sections of the suture together, wherein the first and second tissue regions are drawn together and the tissue opening is closed.

An end effector for use with a surgical device is provided. The end effector includes a drive assembly, a driver, a needle assembly and a biasing element. The driver is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly. Rotation of the drive assembly in a first direction causes distal translation of the driver with respect to the drive assembly. The needle assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the driver. Distal translation of the driver causes a corresponding distal translation of the needle assembly. The biasing element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the needle assembly and is configured to bias the needle assembly proximally.