According to the invention, there is provided a medical apparatus including: one or more sterile pre-filled syringe; one or more first protective container including the one or more sterile pre-filled syringe, wherein the one or more first protective container is impermeable to moisture and/or sterilizing agents; a second protective container including one or more medical components and the one or more first protective container; and a package impermeable to bacteria including the second protective container.

Described here are devices for closing one or more tissues, and handles for controlling these devices. Generally, the devices described here comprise a snare loop assembly, wherein the snare loop assembly comprises a snare and a suture loop, and a handle for controlling the snare loop assembly. In some variations the snare loop assembly may comprise a retention member that may releasably connect the suture loop to the snare. In other variations the devices comprise one or more force-reducing suture locks to help prevent the suture loop from inadvertently disengaging from the snare loop assembly. In still other variations, the excess-suture management features. The handles described here may be configured to remove excess suture from a suture loop, and may also be configured to release the suture loop from the snare loop assembly.

An apparatus and a method for surgical fastening is disclosed. An illustrative apparatus for tissue suturing includes a cartridge having a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end, the suturing needle capable of rotating about an axis, a reciprocating needle drive, and an actuator capable of releasably engaging the needle drive to rotate the needle. A method for suturing tissue is provided that includes placing a suturing device having a cartridge containing a suturing needle to span at least one tissue segment, activating an actuator to cause rotational movement of the suturing needle through the at least one tissue segment, and deactivating the actuator to stop an advancing movement of the suturing needle to cause a suturing material to be pulled through the at least one tissue segment forming a stitch.

Various embodiments of a cartridge for loading a suture onto a suturing instrument are disclosed. In some embodiments, the cartridge is operable for loading a pre-tied knot formed from the suture onto the suturing instrument. The suturing instrument is typically of the type having a suture passing member defining a suture receiving passage therein. In some embodiments, the cartridge comprises a housing defining a chamber, and a partially pre-tied knot mounted about the housing or the chamber. The cartridge additionally provides a base coupled to the housing, the base defining a seat for releasably holding a portion of a suture to be aligned with, and. transferred to, the suturing instrument. The portion of the suture may be held independently, or it may be coupled to a component such as a ferrule or shuttle.

A surgical instrument is disclosed comprising a shaft and an end effector rotatably connected to the shaft about an articulation joint. The surgical instrument comprises a plurality of rotation joints which can be simultaneously operated to maintain the alignment of a portion of the surgical instrument relative to the patient tissue.

An elastic suture needle for passing through a smaller cannula used in minimally invasive surgery includes an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, a length extending from the proximal end to the distal end, a top surface extending along the length of the elongated body, and a bottom surface extending along the length of the elongated body. The elongated body has dimensions that are calculated using the equation T/L.sub.N<(4*)/(E), where T is the thickness of the elongated body, L.sub.N is the length of the neutral axis of the elongated body, is the yield strength of the elongated body, and E is the Young's modulus of the elongated body. The elongated body is made of stainless steels such as martensitic stainless steels, austenitic stainless steels, martensitic-aged (mar-aged) stainless steels, and stainless steels sold under the registered trademark ETHALLOY Needle Alloy.

A suture needle container includes a receptacle having a proximal end with an opening and a closed distal end. A hollow mandrel is disposed inside the receptacle. The mandrel projects from the closed distal end toward the opening at the proximal end of the receptacle. The mandrel includes a tubular wall having a proximal end aligned with the proximal end of the receptacle and a distal end connected with the closed distal end of the receptacle. An elongated slot is formed in the tubular wall. A suture needle is disposed within the elongated slot. A suture is secured to the proximal end of the suture needle and wrapped around the hollow mandrel. A cover closes the opening at the proximal end of the receptacle for sealing the suture needle and the suture inside the receptacle for maintaining a sterile environment inside the receptacle.

An apparatus capable of and a corresponding method for subcuticular suturing of an incision in a single pass is provided. The apparatus includes a straight needle, a suture thread extending from a free end of the needle, and a grip couplable to or pre-attached to the needle. The grip is used for controlling, manipulating, and advancing the needle and its sharp end through the incision. The needle is generally long enough to pierce and bind both sides of the incision together without having to pull the entire needle and any slack in the suture thread through each piercing prior to proceeding to the next piercing. The needle holds the entire incision closed presets the entire path for the suture thread prior to pulling the suture thread through the incision to hold the incision closed.

One variation of a method for tracking objects within a surgical space during a surgery includes: based on a first image depicting the surgical space at a first time, detecting a first object and a constellation of objects in the surgical space, estimating distances from each objectin the constellation of objectsto the first object, and calculating a contamination risk of the first object based on contamination scores and distances to the first object for each object in the constellation of objects; calculating a contamination score of the first object based on a combination of the contamination risks of the first object during the surgery; and, in response to the contamination score of the first object exceeding a threshold contamination score prior to contact between the first object and a patient, serving a prompt within the surgical space to address sterility of the first object.

According to embodiments, there is provided a medical apparatus including one or more sterile pre-filled syringe, one or more first protective container including the one or more sterile pre-filled syringe, wherein the first protective container may be completely or partially filled with an inert or non-inert gas, wherein the one or more first protective container is impermeable to moisture and/or sterilizing agents, and a second protective container including one or more medical components and the one or more first protective container, wherein the second protective container may be, but is not necessarily, completely or partially filled with an inert or non-inert gas. In some aspects, a package mostly impermeable to bacteria including the first and second protective containers is also completely or partially filled with an inert or non-inert gas.