Devices and methods of endolumenal formation of gastric sleeves are described. Some embodiments allow templating of a gastric sleeve by a gastric bougie, exposing a selected amount of tissue for suturing access, while maintaining sufficient internal working space for suturing within the template lumen.

A medical instrument and a semi-finished instrument. The semi-finished instrument includes an instrument body part blank for forming an instrument body part of the medical instrument. The instrument body part blank is made of a metal, in particular an instrument steel. The semi-finished instrument also includes a distal end region and a recess on the distal end region for accommodating a hard metal element. The recess has an abutment face for the hard metal element. The instrument body part blank includes a solder chamber for accommodating solder. The solder chamber is fluidically connected to the recess.

A medical instrument and a semi-finished instrument. The semi-finished instrument includes an instrument body part blank for forming an instrument body part of the medical instrument. The instrument body part blank is made of a metal, in particular an instrument steel. The semi-finished instrument also includes a distal end region and a recess on the distal end region for accommodating a hard metal element. The recess has an abutment face for the hard metal element. The instrument body part blank includes a solder chamber for accommodating solder. The solder chamber is fluidically connected to the recess.

A micro needle holder capable of cutting sutures, configured for holding needles and cutting sutures during microsurgeries, includes a needle holding unit and a suture cutting unit. The needle holding unit includes a pair of first plier bodies and a first shaft, where each of the first plier bodies has a needle holding end, a first shaft connecting part, and a first plier arm. The suture cutting unit includes a pair of second plier bodies and a second shaft, where each of the second plier bodies includes a suture cutting end, a second shaft connecting part, and a second plier arm. Moreover, the first plier arms are respectively connected with the second plier arms and are configured to elastically open and close corporately.

An instrument for performing thorascopic repair of heart valves includes a shaft for extending through the chest cavity and into a heart chamber providing access to a valve needing repair. A movable tip on the shaft is operable to capture a valve leaflet and a needle is operable to penetrate a capture valve leaflet and draw the suture therethrough. The suture is thus fastened to the valve leaflet and the instrument is withdrawn from the heart chamber transporting the suture outside the heart chamber. The suture is anchored to the heart wall with proper tension as determined by observing valve operation with an ultrasonic imaging system.

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, a capture groove, a tab groove and a plug portion positioned between the capture groove and the tab groove. The needle body has first and second ends, tip tabs, retainers for removably retaining the needle body relative to the needle holder arm, and a suture opening. The needle tip is fixed relative to the needle body by plastic deformation of the tip tabs into the tab groove. A suture extends into the suture opening of the needle body and is fixed therein.

A method for adjusting the operation of a surgical instrument using machine learning in a surgical suite is disclosed.

Implementations of a needle loader and related methods are provided. The needle loader comprises a housing, a movable arm disposed within the housing, and a needle mount defined on the movable arm to releasably attach to an arced suturing needle. The needle loader further includes an arced needle releasably attached to the needle mount. The needle can be held in place on the needle mount by way of an interference fit. The needle mount can be defined on a surface of the movable arm that faces an arced needle track of a suturing device when loading an arced suturing needle in the needle track of the suturing device.

Implementations of a needle loader and related methods are provided. The needle loader comprises a housing, a movable arm disposed within the housing, and a needle mount defined on the movable arm to releasably attach to an arced suturing needle. The needle loader further includes an arced needle releasably attached to the needle mount. The needle can be held in place on the needle mount by way of an interference fit. The needle mount can be defined on a surface of the movable arm that faces an arced needle track of a suturing device when loading an arced suturing needle in the needle track of the suturing device.

Disclosed is a suturing needle having a thread attachment portion and a ramp portion comprising a tapered portion extending from a proximal end of the needle to cover at least a portion of a suture thread swaged in the thread attachment portion. The tapered portion of the ramp portion provides a smooth transition from a diameter of the suture thread to a diameter of the needle body. The tapered transition portion allows for engaging the suture needle on rollers of a rotational needle driver in one smooth motion.