Described are methods of treating urinary incontinence using a urinary sling and a tissue path that passes through the obturator foramen, along with related surgical implants, devices, systems and kits.

In a method for providing a double loop stitch, a needle assembly having a first needle portion and a second needle portion that is removably connected to the first needle portion is provided. Opposing ends of a thread are connected to the needle portions, forming a loop that is placed around a sewing material. The needle assembly is inserted through the sewing material at an insertion point. The thread is then partially pulled through the sewing material at the insertion point such that a pair of loops of thread, separated by the insertion point, remain adjacent a first face of the sewing material. The needle portions are then separated and are passed around opposite sides of the sewing material from adjacent a second face back adjacent the first face. Each needle portion is then passed through one of the loops. The loops are then cinched and locked in place.

Suture passer systems for tissue suspension and tissue compression are described. The system can include a shaft and a needle, wherein the needle is freely rotatable with respect to the shaft. The suture may include an overmolded segment. Methods of placing one or more implants, sutures, fastener, bone anchors and other devices are also described. The methods include moving tissue, including the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle, palatopharyngeal arch, and palatoglossal arch. The methods include hyoid bone suspension.

According to one aspect, a medical device including a needle configured for use in suturing tissue is described. The needle may include a cylindrical body having a longitudinal axis extending between first and second ends of the cylindrical body. The needle may also include a lumen extending through the cylindrical body transverse to the longitudinal axis. The needle may further include a first end portion at the first end of the cylindrical body. The first end portion may include a sharp point configured to pierce tissue. An outer surface of the cylindrical body may define a first recess in communication with an opening of the lumen and configured to receive an end of a suture.

A device is disclosed that can load a suture and/or a shuttle into a device. The device can have a suture and/or a shuttle that can be moved (e.g., via a loader control) from a non-loaded configuration to a loaded configuration without damaging the suture or the shuttle.

A method for passing a suture includes extending a distal end of a suture manipulator of a suture passer from a distal portion of a hollow tube of the suture passer, locating a portion of a suture adjacent to a catching portion of the suture manipulator, retracting the distal end of the suture manipulator into the hollow tube and pulling the portion of the suture into the hollow tube so that a loop of the suture is located in the lumen and the portion of the suture is compressed by an inner surface of the hollow tube and a side surface of the catching portion, and sliding the suture manipulator distally relative to the hollow tube and pushing the portion of the suture with a pushing portion of the suture manipulator that is located proximally of the catching portion to expel the suture from the hollow tube.

An anchor and suture assembly is provided for use with an endoscopic suturing device with a needle holder arm. The anchor assembly includes an anchor tip and an anchor body. The anchor tip has a blunt end that may be rounded or beaded, a capture groove, a tab groove and a plug portion positioned between the capture groove and the tab groove. The anchor body has first and second ends, tip tabs, retainers for removably retaining the anchor body relative to the needle holder arm, and a suture opening. The anchor tip is fixed relative to the anchor body by plastic deformation of the tip tabs into the tab groove. A suture extends into the suture opening of the anchor body and is fixed therein.

A surgical suturing device is disclosed. The surgical suturing device may include a first or a second tissue gap, a first pair of needles configured to be movable across the first tissue gap, a second pair of needles configured to be movable across the second tissue gap, and a first suture having first and second ends. The surgical suturing device also includes a second suture having first and second ends and a needle actuator which selectively engages either: the first pair of needles to drive them through the first tissue gap and into communication with the first end of the first suture and the first end of the second suture, respectively; or the second pair of needles to drive them through the second tissue gap and into communication with the second end of the first suture and the second end of the second suture.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an end effector for use with a surgical device is provided. The end effector includes a driver, a clip assembly, a needle assembly, and biasing element. The clip assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the driver. Rotation of the driver results in longitudinal translation of the clip assembly. The needle assembly is selectively engaged with the clip assembly. The biasing element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the needle assembly and is configured to bias the needle assembly proximally.

An implantable cerclage sacrocolpopexy medical device includes an elongate strip of flat, flexible material extending longitudinally from a first end to an opposite second end; a surgical needle attached to the first end of the elongate strip; and a loop at either the first end or the second end of the elongate strip. The medical device is positioned circumferentially around the cervix. The end of the elongate strip opposite the end having the loop is passed through the loop and attached to the sacrum or sacrospinous ligament.