An implant manipulator may have a distal end that retains an implant, a proximal end, and an intermediate portion between the ends. The implant manipulator may be a needle for a suture passer, with a suture capture feature at the distal end. The suture capture feature may have first and second members that flex apart to permit entry of the suture into a suture capture hole wherein the suture is retained until released. A suture passer may include one or more needles. The suture passer may also include a pusher; a distal end with a sharp, blade-like extension; or a side-loading distal end.

A suturing device for being inserted into and used in a body is disclosed. The suturing device includes a front arm that has string support portions supporting both ends of a surgical string, and a front guide portion attached to the string support portions and a back arm that has a needle-shaped member, a needle support portion supporting the needle-shaped member in a state of pointing to a predetermined first direction, and a back guide portion attached to the front guide portion such that the back guide portion is capable of sliding in a direction substantially parallel to the first direction, and rotating around an axis substantially parallel to the first direction. The front guide portion has a first guide groove guiding the needle-shaped member to one end of the surgical string supported by the string support portion and a second guide groove guiding the needle-shaped member.

Embodiments of the disclosure encompass devices and methods related to laparoscopic surgical tools that allow a single user to suture an opening in tissue. The devices are suitable on a physical scale to allow repair of an opening in utero. The devices comprise two arms by which a needle is transitioned back and forth and that utilize a needle securing means to receive and release a needle, wherein the positioning of the securing means is controlled by the single user.

A purse string suture passing device includes a clamp member and a suture passer housing assembly. The clamp member is dimensioned to be received within a guide channel of the suture passer housing assembly and includes two jaws that each define a longitudinal passage. The suture passer housing assembly includes two needles that are supported within the guide channel and are received within the longitudinal passages of the clamp member as the clamp member is inserted through the guide channel. Each of the needles receives a suture passer that includes a distal portion that is configured to engage a suture after the clamp member is received within the guide channel. When the suture is attached to the suture passers, the clamp member can be removed from the guide channel to apply a purse string suture to the tissue.

A suturing device includes a curved needle, a suture, an elongate body, an actuator and a curved needle holder. The suture connects with the curved needle. The actuator interacts with the elongate body and is operable between a first operating position and a second operating position. The curved needle holder extends away from a distal end portion or is provided as part of the distal end portion of the elongate body. The curved needle holder includes a distal end section having a distal-most tip. The curved needle holder includes an inner surface defining a needle passage for holding the needle and a distal opening. The curved needle has a curved needle radius and the curved needle passage has a curved needle passage radius that is different than the curved needle radius and the curved needle frictionally engages the inner surface when the needle is in a retracted position.

A minimally invasive surgical method of approximating tissue includes coupling an adjustable loop of suture around an inserter. The loop can be coupled to the inserter by applying tension to a tail of the suture to collapse the loop around the inserter, then the inserter and loop are passed through a first location in tissue. The loop is decoupled from the inserter, the inserter is retracted from the first location, and reinserted into a second location in the tissue, after which the loop is recoupled to the inserter while the loop is distal of the tissue. The decoupling, retraction, and reinsertion can occur without withdrawing the inserter from the patient's body. The inserter and loop are then withdrawn together from the tissue through this second location and outside of the patient's body. The tails and loop can form a luggage knot to be reduced around the tissue.

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 from the shaft to the base of the curved body such that the curved body is rotatable about the shaft. 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, allowing the suturing needle to drive into and out of tissue to apply a suture.

A suturing device for minimally invasive surgery is disclosed. The suturing device has a head defining one or more ferrule holders and a tissue bite area. The device also has a first needle comprising a flywheel portion and one or more curved arms extending from the flywheel portion, each of the one or more curved arms comprising a ferrule engaging tip, wherein the first needle is pivotably coupled to the head. The suturing device further has a first actuator coupled to the first needle and configured to rotate it from a retracted position, where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms starts away from the one or more ferrule holders, through the tissue bite area, and to an engaged position where the ferrule engaging tip of each of the one or more curved arms is operationally aligned with the one or more ferrule holders.

A reconfigurable suture needle includes an elongated body having a curved proximal section and a curved distal section. The curved proximal section is hollow and includes an elongated conduit extending from a proximal end to a distal end thereof. The curved distal section includes a needle point at a distal end thereof and a hollow post projecting proximally from a proximal end thereof. A suture thread passes through the elongated conduit of the curved proximal section and has a distal end that passes through the hollow post of the curved distal section for being secured to the proximal end of the curved distal section. The elongated body has a first configuration with a higher profile in which the hollow post of the curved distal section is inserted into the elongated conduit at the distal end of the curved proximal section, and a second configuration with a lower profile in which the hollow post of the curved distal section is uncoupled from the elongated conduit at the distal end of the curved proximal section.

A device and method for cutting-to-length surgical suture material uses a thread spool having a continuous thread of the surgical suture material, a thread advancing gripper for drawing off a defined length of surgical suture material, and a cutting unit for cutting the surgical suture material. By way of a deflection installation, the surgical suture material is placeable so as to be angled to the primary transport direction in at least one open loop. The length of the open loop can be variably adjusted. The cutting unit is positioned between the thread spool and the deflection installation.