A swaging system for attaching surgical needles to sutures and testing the attachment strength includes a bottom swaging die and a top swaging die that is configured to move up and down along a swaging axis that is in alignment with the bottom swaging die. The bottom swaging die includes a swaging tool mounted thereon that extends toward the top swaging die along the swaging axis. The swaging tool includes an upper end having a top surface with a swaging notch for swaging a needle to a suture to form an armed surgical needle, and a testing notch, adjacent the swaging notch, for conducting a pull test on the armed surgical needle.

There is disclosed a medical probe for traversing a tract in the body of a human or animal. One medical probe is disclosed which comprises an elongate elastically deformable member comprising a helically wound element, and a sheath having an inner surface which contacts an outer surface of the elastically deformable member. The probe is elastically deformable, for traversing the tract, by virtue of the elastically deformable member. The probe may include a treatment element, which can be used to perform a procedure in the body of a patient. An assembly comprising a probe and a treatment element is also disclosed. The medical probe has a particular use in the treatment of a fistula, in which the probe takes the form of a fistula probe adapted to traverse a fistula tract.

A suture needle for uterine hemostatic compression comprises at least one suture needle and a suture thread. The at least one suture needle includes a body portion extending linearly in a lengthwise direction and a puncture portion provided at a tip of the body portion in the lengthwise direction to be thrust into a uterus. The suture thread is attached to a base end portion that is on an opposite side of the puncture portion in the suture needle. The puncture portion is formed as a spherical surface that bulges toward a tip side of the lengthwise direction. The spherical surface has a radius in a connection portion with the body portion substantially identical to a radius of the body portion.

Devices and methods for minimally invasive suturing are disclosed. One suturing device for minimally invasive suturing includes a proximal section a distal end, and an intermediate region therebetween. The device includes a suture head assembly having a suturing needle with a pointed end and a second end. The suturing needle is capable of rotating about an axis approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, wherein the pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the suture head assembly prior to deployment of guides that are adapted and configured to guide the needle around a circular path when advanced by a drive mechanism having a needle driver for engaging and rotating the suturing needle.

Disclosed are devices and methods for delivering several sutures accurately and simultaneously around the perimeter of an annular prosthetic device (prosthetic heart valve, annuloplasty ring, etc.) to secure the prosthetic device within a native heart valve region. Devices can comprise a proximal handle portion including an actuator and a distal suturing portion including several curved and straight needles arrayed around the shaft axis. The straight needles and the curved needles are configured to simultaneously guide a plurality of sutures through the native tissue and through the annular prosthetic device. The actuator can cause the straight needles to move axially relative to the curved needles and can also cause the curved needles to rotate, such that the motions are coordinated to simultaneously place all the sutures.

A method of attaching a surgical suture to a needle and testing the attachment includes dispensing a length of suture from a spool by using a first suture gripper, and using a surgical needle gripper for holding a surgical needle stationary. A leading end of the suture is inserted into and attached to a receiving end of the surgical needle. A second suture gripper is located between the first suture gripper and the spool. After the second suture gripper is closed for gripping the suture, the second suture gripper is advanced downstream toward the surgical needle to reduce the tension on the suture. The tension on the suture is reduced by moving the second suture gripper a pre-determined distance. The first suture gripper is opened for releasing the suture and the first suture gripper is moved toward the suture spool for re-grasping the suture at a location between the second gripper and the suture spool. The suture between the downstream side of the re-positioned first suture gripper and upstream side of the second suture gripper is cut. After the suture is cut, the second suture gripper is displaced toward the spool using a tension control system to increase the tension level between the needle and the second suture gripper.

A swaging system for attaching surgical needles to sutures and testing the attachment strength includes a frame, a bottom swaging die mounted on the frame, and a top swaging die mounted on the frame and being moveable up and down along a swaging axis that is aligned with the bottom swaging die. The bottom swaging die includes a hinge mechanism with a bottom plate mounted to the frame and a top plate overlying the bottom plate. The top and bottom plates are pivotally connected for enabling the top plate to pivot relative to the bottom plate. The bottom swaging die includes a swaging tool that extends toward the top swaging die along the swaging axis, and a load cell disposed between the top and bottom plates for monitoring load. The system includes a control system having one or more pull test programs stored therein for evaluating pull tests on armed surgical needles to determine if the armed surgical needles are acceptable or unacceptable.

A tissue closure device includes a pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a needle driver at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the needle driver is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end about a rotational axis and a cartridge having a protective housing and the suturing needle, the cartridge extending from a distal end of a cartridge holder assembly and releasably attached to the cartridge holder assembly. A pointed end of the suturing needle may be positioned within the protective housing before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about the rotational axis. A removable electronic module may be provided controlled by an actuator that mechanically engages the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft and the needle driver, thereby rotating the suturing needle about the rotational axis.

Devices and methods for minimally invasive suturing are disclosed. One suturing device for minimally invasive suturing includes a proximal section a distal end, and an intermediate region therebetween. The device includes a suture head assembly having a suturing needle with a pointed end and a second end. The suturing needle is capable of rotating about an axis approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the device, wherein the pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the suture head assembly prior to deployment of guides that are adapted and configured to guide the needle around a circular path when advanced by a drive mechanism having a needle driver for engaging and rotating the suturing needle.

A medical device having an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion of the elongate body terminating in a free end; the distal portion of the elongate body terminating in a loop. The loop further includes a first plurality of anchors disposed along a surface of the loop.