A system for aligning a needle driver with a tip of a suture needle includes a suture needle package having a base, a needle driver alignment guide, and at least one connector for securing the suture needle. The needle driver alignment guide has first and second lateral guide walls that oppose one another for defining a needle driver guide channel. An end wall interconnects the first and second lateral guide walls for defining a distal end of the needle driver alignment guide. The at least one connector secures the suture needle over the base and controls the orientation of the suture needle so that a tip of the suture needle is located within the suture needle guide channel and is bounded by the end wall and the first and second lateral guide walls. A needle driver has a clamping assembly at a distal end that engages the end wall of the needle driver alignment guide for aligning the clamping assembly with the tip of the suture needle.

A surgical method includes arranging a plurality of suture needle containers in a surgical environment, whereby at least one of the suture needle containers includes a receptacle having a proximal end with an opening and a distal end that is closed by an end wall, a suture needle disposed within the receptacle, and a cover sealing the opening at the proximal end of the receptacle for maintaining a sterile environment for the suture needle inside the receptacle. The method includes causing a controller of a surgical robotic system to transmit input instructions to an electromechanical tool for breaching the cover for providing access to the suture needle disposed within the receptacle. After breaching the cover, a distal end of a surgical tool secures the suture needle for removing the secured suture needle from the opening at the proximal end of the receptacle.

Disclosed are apparatus and method for forming passage extending along a plane crossing an organ's volumetric region from an entry point to an opposing exit point at a surface of the organ, and for passing a tension member around the volumetric region by pulling the tension member from the exit point to the entry point through the passage. The apparatus can include a rigid outer tube with a tip for penetrating the organ and reach a penetration depth; an inner needle with elastic body configured to pass straightened through outer tube lumen and to partially protrude and voluntarily flex to a curved form greater than the diameter of the volumetric region; and a tension member passer with a pulling portion for engaging with portion of tension member and for pulling the tension member when withdrawn.

An apparatus and method for minimally invasive suturing is disclosed. A suturing device for minimally invasive suturing includes proximal section having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis therebetween, a suture head assembly extending from the distal end of the proximal section; a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end, the suturing needle capable of rotating about an axis approximately perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the proximal section, wherein the pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within the suture head assembly prior to and after rotation of the suturing needle, and an actuator extending from the proximal end of the proximal section to actuate a reciprocating needle drive having a needle driver for engaging and rotating the suturing needle.

A needle for use with an endoscopic stitching device includes a first end portion that is movable relative to a second end portion to allow the needle to convert from a first, mis-aligned orientation to a second, aligned orientation, thereby allowing the length of the needle in the aligned orientation to exceed the height of an end effector.

Instruments for placing complex sutures into animal tissues, including instruments useful in arthroscopic surgical techniques which minimize incision size. Manipulate the flat tissue by, for example, rolling, wrinkling, folding, bending or tucking the tissue so that a needle can be placed through the tissue more than once. Sutures are placed, for example from top-to-bottom and bottom-to-top with a single pass of a straight needle. Roll, wrinkle, fold, bend or tuck the flat tissue so that a needle can be placed through the tissue more than once. Suturing a loop through the tissue that another suture will pass through result in sewing both sides of the tissue. This will allow surgeons to place complex locking and grasping suture configurations that will significantly improve the repair.

An apparatus for transferring mechanical energy in a handle to a cartridge to manipulate tissue or anatomical structures within the body of a human or animal subject for the purpose of treating diseases or disorders. The handle and cartridge contain safety interlocks.

Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for surgical suturing are provided. In general, a loading element can be configured to facilitate loading of a plate into a surgical instrument configured to facilitate passage of a suture through tissue. The surgical instrument can be configured to advance the suture through a tissue of a patient, to capture a free end or looped end of the suture after the suture's advancement through the tissue, and to pull the captured suture out of the patient's body with a portion of the suture remaining passed through the tissue within the patient's body.

Devices, systems and methods for passing a suture. In general, described herein are suturing devices, such as suture passers, as well as methods of suturing tissue. These suture passing devices may include dual deployment suture passers in which a first distal jaw member is moveable at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body of the device and the second distal jaw member is retractable proximally to the distal end region of the elongate body and/or the first jaw member.

A suturing catheter for reducing mitral insufficiency by applying suturing points percutaneously is provided. The suturing catheter has a catheter body provided with a distal end and at least one internal lumen, at least one U-folded suture filament with two free ends, each provided with a suture needle, a pair of stylets, each provided with a catch needle, the suture and catch needles being provided with a connecting portion that allows a catch needle to mechanically engage with a suture needle, and a lever having a stapling arm, from which the suture needles protrude. The stapling arm, together with the catheter body, from which the catch needles protrude, defines a catch zone for a flap of a mitral valve. An opposite operating arm, together with the catheter body, defines an operating zone of the lever.