A surgical needle includes a pair of ends, a mid-region extending between the ends, and at least one grasping feature configured for grasping by a suturing instrument. An end of a suture is secured to the mid-region of the needle in a manner such that the end of the suture defines an oblique angle with at least part of the centerline defined by the mid-region of the needle. The end of the suture may be disposed in a hollow portion of the needle. The grasping feature may include a notch such as a scallop. The suture may be pivotally coupled with the needle via a ball or pin. The needle may have one or more sharp points. The sharp point may include three converging cutting edges, at least two planar surfaces bounded by the three cutting edges, and a rounded surface bounded by two of the three cutting edges.

A medical device for installing sutures to close an incision in tissue or human skin is disclosed. The suturing device may provide first and second arcuate needles. Once properly positioned, the first and second arcuate needles are driven through the sub-dermal layer, or alternatively through a superficial surface, of two sections of skin to be joined. This is done in arcuate fashion and at identical and symmetrical rates of angular displacement. During the driving or retraction process of the first and second arcuate needles, a suture is positioned within both the first and second sections of skin and transformed from a planar or a multi-planar serpentine orientation to a helical orientation. The resulting suturing process is thus much faster than conventional or manual suturing and results in superior wound approximation/alignment that will lead to decreased scarring compared to prior art devices.

Techniques are described for closure of a defect in material, such as closure of a laparoscopic surgical defect. A defect closure device can be inserted into the defect to capture first material adjacent to the defect. The device houses at least first and second suture pins coupled together by a suture. A first interaction with a trigger structure can force the first suture pin through the captured first material and into a containment sub-assembly. After rotating the device to capture second material adjacent to the defect, a second interaction with the trigger structure can force the second suture pin through the captured second material and into the containment sub-assembly. As such, the suture is passed through the first and second portions of the material, and the ends of the suture can be cinched, and cut to form a stitch.

A facial invasive tissue treatment method includes the following procedures. Mark five to ten facelift suture path lines on each half face of a user in a predetermined pattern according to the facial condition of the user, wherein each facelift suture path line has an upper segment, a lower segment, and an insertion mark between the upper segment and the lower segment. After sterilization of the user's face, perform anesthesia at portions of the user's face where the needles inserting in and penetrating by injecting anesthetics at least at the insertion marks and the outlet marks of the facelift suture path lines marked on both half faces of the user. Thereafter, it is preferred to perform another sterilization to the user's face. Implant five to ten invasive sutures in the subcutaneous tissue layer of both half faces of the user along and underlying the facelift suture path lines marked thereon respectively. Perform facial shaping by tightening the underlying tissue through the implanted sutures while straddling, pushing, pressing, squeezing, shoving, extruding, and/or caressing the facial skin and tissue around the implanted sutures.

An interlocking two-part sewing needle includes a first needle portion having a needle tip and a second needle portion configured to be inserted into the first needle portion for removably connecting the first needle portion and the second needle portion together. A needle receiver is formed in the first needle portion and is configured to receive the second needle portion when the second needle portion is inserted into the first needle portion. The needle receiver includes one or more non-resistance sections. Each non-resistance section is configured to exert only a friction force on the second needle portion when the second needle portion is inserted into the needle receiver. Additionally, the needle receiver includes one or more resistance sections. Each resistance section is configured to exert a compressive force on the second needle portion when the second needle portion is inserted into the needle receiver.

A system including a bone punch tool and a needle guide. The bone punch tool can include a support arm having a support arm proximal portion and a support arm distal portion, a pivot arm having a pivot arm proximal portion and a pivot arm distal portion, and an arcuate punch configured to punch through bone. The pivot arm distal portion can be pivotably coupled to the support arm distal portion, such that the pivot arm proximal portion is configured to be moved away from the support arm proximal portion to extend the arcuate punch into a punch position to punch an arcuate hole through bone. The needle guide can be configured to guide a needle through the arcuate hole.

A thin film metallic glass coated needle includes a needle body, a needle head and a thin film metallic glass in amorphous structure and formed on a surface of the needle head and a surface of the needle body to reduce a surface energy and coefficient of friction. The thin film metallic glass is a titanium based comprising 35-45 at % titanium, 5-15 at % zirconium, 32-42 at % copper, 1-11 at % niobium and 2-12 at % cobalt.

Described are methods and apparatus for use in supporting tissue in a patient's body. In some embodiments, the patient's breast is supported. In some embodiments, the methods provide ways of supporting and adjusting tissue, and the apparatus includes components and embodiments for supporting and adjusting the tissue. Some embodiments include a supporting device, having a first portion, a second portion, and a support member positioned between the first portion and second portion. Some embodiments include advancing the first portion of the supporting device into the body to a first location in the body; advancing the second portion of the supporting device into the body to a second location in the body; securing the first portion of the supporting device at the first location; and shifting soft tissue in the body with the support member.

A heart valve anchor apparatus may include a body having a proximal portion and a distal portion. The body may include a first radially expandable portion at the proximal portion of the body, a second radially expandable portion at the distal portion of the body, and a root portion extending from the first radially expandable portion to the second radially expandable portion, the root portion having an outer extent. The first radially expandable portion may be configured to self-expand to an outer extent greater than the outer extent of the root portion when radially unconstrained. The second radially expandable portion may be configured to self-expand to an outer extent greater than the outer extent of the root portion when radially unconstrained. In an unstressed configuration, the body may define a longitudinal centerline that extends away from a plane tangent to the root portion.

This invention relates to surgical suturing devices and methods by which suture may be passed through tissue during surgery, and, more particularly, to an improved blade of a suture passer needle. The suture passer needle includes a first side, a second side, and a blade disposed at an end of the needle. The blade has a first edge extending from the first side of the needle and a second edge extending from the second side of the needle, which converge to a tip of the blade. A notch is disposed in the blade and forms an opening in the first side of the blade. The blade also has one or more cutout portions distal and/or proximal the notch, which minimize the stress and strain placed on the blade. The suture passer needle can be incorporated into surgical suturing devices or suture passer devices to pass suture through a tissue body.