Generally, a suturing system including apparatus and methods for reinforcing a substrate through which a thread passes. Specifically, embodiments of a thread carrier which passes through a substrate reinforcement element adjoining a substrate to reinforce the substrate at a first location and at a second location through which the thread passes.

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.

A bolster system having a first bolster device, a second bolster device, and an adjustable tether that includes a one-way pre-tied slideable adjustment knot. The adjustment knot is at a first position prior to insertion of the first bolster device into a passageway in one or more bones. The second bolster device includes a body portion having an outer portion that is sized to be received in the passageway and/or in an aperture of a bone plate. The body portion also includes a channel that is sized to accommodate recessed and/or embedded placement of the pre-tied slideable adjustment knot. The second bolster device can also include an oversized plate portion that abuts against a cortex of a bone or a wall of a bone plate. The second bolster device can also include a threaded member or retention tab that lockingly secures the second bolster device to a bone plate.

A method for replacing a patient's native heart valve includes delivering a prosthetic valve at the cardiovascular site from a collapsed delivery configuration to an expanded configuration, testing a performance characteristic of the prosthetic valve, at least partially reversing the deployment of the prosthetic valve, repositioning the prosthetic valve, and re-deploying the prosthetic valve.

A method and device for anchoring a length of self-retaining suture. The method of anchoring includes providing for an assembly having a length of self-retaining suture and a suture insertion device. The length of suture includes at least a portion of the length having a plurality of retainers thereon extending in a first direction. The insertion device has a length and a recess to receive a portion of the suture length. The method further includes placing a portion of the suture length in the recess and inserting the device into the body of a mammal until the recess reaches a predetermined location thereby forming an insertion pathway. The method further includes retrieving the insertion device from the body by moving the insertion device in a direction substantially opposed to the insertion pathway.

The present invention relates to a needle instrument for an eye-bag relocating operation. The needle instrument includes a body unit having a rectangular cross-section and grabbed by a needle holder during the operation; a needle unit having one needle side and the other needle side on both sides of the body unit to be tapered and having round tips, wherein one needle side is formed to be duller than the other needle side; and a thread pressing and coupling unit provided on one end of the body unit and formed at a position that corresponds to to of an entire length from an end of the needle instrument and is spaced apart from the end of the body unit by 0.5 to 1 mm.

A suturing system including apparatus and methods for disposing stitches in a substrate comprising a thread carrier which inserts a thread in the substrate at a first location and withdraws the thread from the substrate at a second location.

A laparoscopic suturing device is provided. The suturing device can pass a suturing needle back and forth between jaws of a jaw assembly to suture tissue at a surgical site in a minimally invasive procedure. The jaw assembly can have a pivotable jaw member in each jaw to position the jaw assembly and needle in a low-profile stowed configuration for insertion through a low diameter surgical port. The jaw assembly can be actuated by a handle assembly that provides simultaneous needle passing from a driving jaw to a receiving jaw and latching the needle within the receiving jaw in a single trigger cycle.

An implantable prosthetic valve has an in situ formable support structure. The valve comprises a prosthetic valve, having a base and at least one flow occluder. A first flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The first component extends proximally of the base of the valve. A second flexible component is incapable of retaining the valve at a functional site in the arterial vasculature. The second component extends distally of the base of the valve. At least one rigidity component combines with at least one of the first and second flexible components to impart sufficient rigidity to the first or second components to retain the valve at the site.

A system, for use with a leaflet of a valve of a subject's heart, comprises a catheter, a cutting device, a helical needle, and a suture. The catheter is transluminally advanceable toward the heart. The cutting device is advanceable distally out of the catheter, and is adapted to cut through tissue of the leaflet to form cut tissue and cut edges at the cardiac valve. The helical needle defines a helical lumen, the helical needle configured to be advanced distally out of the catheter and to rotationally extend through, and secure together, two tissue segments of the leaflet. The suture extends through the helical lumen of the helical needle. The helical needle and the suture are configured to extend along the two tissue segments of the leaflet to suture the two tissue segments to each other. Other embodiments are also described.