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.

The present invention relates to a convenient, minimally invasive surgical instrument, and more particularly to a minimally invasive surgical instrument to allow a user to operate an end effector by manipulating a handling unit or the like to perform a minimally invasive surgery in a delicate and convenient manner. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising: a shaft; an end effector being connected to one end of the shaft via a joint unit; a rotation manipulation unit being connected to the other end of the shaft, the rotation manipulation unit comprising a gyro link including a gyro wheel; and a plurality of wires being connected between the joint unit and the gyro wheel, wherein the end effector carries out joint motion by the joint unit according to the action of at least some of the plurality of wires caused by a manipulation of the gyro wheel.

A suture needle driving instrument comprises a shaft and an end effector. The end effector is located at the distal end of the shaft and includes a pair of needle grasping arms. Each grasping arm extends along a respective arm axis. The grasping arms are operable to drive a suture needle along a rotational path about an axis, such as one of the arm axes, that is offset from the central longitudinal axis of the shaft. The rotational path may be perpendicular to the axis of the shaft. A needle driven by the end effector may have an arc radius that is greater than the radius of the shaft. At least one of the needle grasping arms may include a dogleg feature positioning a distal portion of the grasping arm outside the radius of the shaft. The instrument may be used through a trocar during minimally invasive surgery.

A surgical instrument has two components hinged to one another, each having an actuating element, and a locking device. The actuating elements can be displaced away from one another by a spreading movement whereby the components are pivoted with respect to one another within a first pivot plane from an initial position into an actuating position. A locking element is in operative connection with the components in a locked position. An unlocking element can be displaced along an unlocking path within a second pivot plane parallel to the first pivot plane in a direction of unlocking. The unlocking element can be brought into operative connection with the locking element, by which the locking element can be transferred into a release position and the components can be pivoted. The unlocking element can be actuated in a direction of unlocking that is the same as the direction of spreading.

A needle and suture assembly is provided for use with an endoscopic suturing device with a needle holder arm. The needle assembly includes a needle tip and a needle body. The needle tip has a sharp end. The needle body is tubular and has first and second ends and flexible tab retainers adjacent the second end for retaining the needle body relative to the needle holder arm. The tab retainers elastically deform to allow the needle body to be released from the needle holder arm upon application of force therebetween. The needle body has a suture opening located between the first end and the retainers. A suture extends into the suture opening of the needle body and is fixed therein.

A suture needle system includes a first needle and at least one second needle. Each of the first and second needles preferably has a common needle body construct. The first needle includes an elongate suture having a length sufficient to extend at least the length of an instrument channel of an endoscope. The second needle includes an opening formed by a loop of suture at which the second needle can be advanced over the elongate suture. In use, the first needle is secured to a first tissue location using an endoscopic suturing system. A second needle is advanced at its opening over the elongate suture and secured to a second tissue location. Additional second needles may be advanced over the elongate suture to respective tissue locations. The elongate suture is pulled taut, drawing the second needles into proximity, and secured.

A surgical suturing and knotting integrated device includes a knotting assembly and an operation/control apparatus. The knotting assembly has a suture pre-tied with a slipknot and a loop. In use, the knotting assembly is mounted on a front end of the operation/control apparatus and the front end of the operation/control apparatus is extended into a patient's abdominal cavity to perform laparoscopic surgery. In suturing process, the operation/control apparatus is used to enlarge the loop of the suture, whereby the suture and one end of the suturing needle can be easily passed through the loop. Then, the operation/control apparatus is used to minify the loop and detach the slipknot of the suture from the knotting assembly and change the slipknot into a fixed knot.

A surgical suturing and knotting integrated device includes a knotting assembly and an operation/control apparatus. The knotting assembly has a suture pre-tied with a slipknot and a loop. In use, the knotting assembly is mounted on a front end of the operation/control apparatus and the front end of the operation/control apparatus is extended into a patient's abdominal cavity to perform laparoscopic surgery. In suturing process, the operation/control apparatus is used to enlarge the loop of the suture, whereby the suture and one end of the suturing needle can be easily passed through the loop. Then, the operation/control apparatus is used to minify the loop and detach the slipknot of the suture from the knotting assembly and change the slipknot into a fixed knot.

A method for producing a surgical instrument is disclosed. The method comprises obtaining a handle, wherein the handle comprises a distal end comprising a shaft interface surface and a first set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises obtaining a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises a proximal end comprising a handle interface surface, a second set of magnetic elements, and a third set of magnetic elements. The method further comprises attaching the shaft to the handle, wherein the shaft interface surface is configured to engage the shaft at the handle interface surface, wherein an attractive magnetic force is configured to pull the handle towards the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interact with the second magnetic elements, and wherein a repulsive magnetic force is configured to repel the handle from the shaft when the first set of magnetic elements interacts with the third set of magnetic elements.

The invention provides a suture device, a treatment device with the suture device and a treatment system. The treatment system includes an endoscope and the treatment system. The treatment system is used in cooperation with the endoscope and includes an operating handle and the suture device. The suture device comprises a main shell, a suture needle, a needle feeding assembly and a needle anti-backoff assembly. One end of the suture needle is connected to a suture line, and the other end is a tip. The needle feeding assembly is arranged on the main shell and forms a separable engagement relationship with the suture needle so as to control advancing of the suture needle. The needle anti-backoff assembly is arranged on the main shell and forms a separable engagement relationship with the suture needle so as to prevent the withdrawal of the suture needle.