A suturing apparatus comprises a pair of jaws. A bendable needle housed in one of the jaws is adapted to carry a suture. An optional suture receiver may be disposed adjacent to the opposite jaw. A transition block curves the needle and directs it in a direction generally unparallel to an axis of the carrying jaw. The needle may also be configured to retrieve a suture. A retaining mechanism holds a suture in place to be engaged by the needle. The jaw housing the needle may include a lateral opening through which the suture may be inserted. The needle may also include a lateral notch which may be aligned with lateral opening to receive the suture. An actuator coupled to the needle enables the user to move the needle proximally to align the notch with the lateral slot.

A method of placing a suture through tissue includes placing a band on a finger of a user, where the band is attached to a head of a suturing device, and employing the finger and the device in identifying an intracorporeal tissue landmark and placing the head of the suturing device at the intracorporeal tissue landmark. The method additionally includes engaging a throat of the head of the suturing device with the intracorporeal tissue landmark, and ejecting a needle out of a needle exit port and through the tissue. The needle exit port is located on a proximal portion of the head of the suturing device.

In one embodiment, a method of repairing a heart valve accesses an interior of a patient's beating heart minimally invasively and inserts one or more sutures into each of a plurality of heart valve leaflets with a suturing instrument. The suture ends of the sutures are divided into suture pairs, with each pair including one suture end from a suture inserted into a first valve leaflet and one suture end from a suture inserted into a second valve leaflet. One or more tourniquet tubes is advanced over the suture pairs to the leaflets to draw the sutures together to coapt the leaflets and then the sutures are secured in that position.

A surgical instrument comprising a shiftable transmission is disclosed. The transmission comprises a mechanism for assuring that the transmission is in one of a plurality of predefined configurations.

Provided herein is an endoscopic suturing system configured for attachment to, and use with, an endoscope.

A needle reload device includes a loading assembly including a needle holder pulley and a needle release arm. The needle holder pulley includes a base including first and second portions configured to receive a needle. The needle release arm is transitionable between an engaged state, in which the needle release arm engages the needle holder pulley to inhibit rotation of the needle holder pulley, and a disengaged state, in which the needle release arm is disengaged from the needle holder pulley such that the needle holder pulley is rotatable. When the needle release arm is in the engaged state, the first portion of the needle holder pulley is positioned between jaws of a stitching device, and when the needle release arm is in the disengage state, the second portion of the base of the needle holder pulley is positioned between the jaws.

A stitching device includes a handle assembly and an elongate shaft assembly. The handle assembly includes a main rod and a drive conversion assembly including a cam wheel, a pivot block, first and second links, and a pawl. The pawl is operatively coupled to the main rod, and is configured to engage the pivot block to cause rotation of the pivot block which, in turn, causes reciprocating displacement of the first and second links. The elongate shaft assembly includes first and second blade drive members coupled to the cam wheel. The tool assembly includes first and second jaws and first and second blades. The first and second blades are operatively coupled with the respective first and second blade drive members, wherein axial displacement of the main rod transitions the first and second jaws between open and closed positions and causes reciprocating axial displacement of the first and second blades.

A modular surgical apparatus is disclosed. Also disclosed is a modular incision apparatus. The modular incision apparatus may be used in a minimally invasive surgery. The modular incision apparatus includes a base having a pair of pivots, a pair of alignment tabs, a proximal opening, and at least one slide guide. The modular incision apparatus includes visual and cleaning access to the blade. The modular incision apparatus is suitable for safely, efficiently, and accurately making small incisions during surgical procedures. The modular incision apparatus provides a means of making small incisions of controlled depth, while reducing the chances of inadvertent exposure of surgical staff to sharp instrument.

A system and method for completing one or more stitches without withdrawal and reloading of an inserter. A suture passer includes a distal end having a body with a gripping portion and a suture holding portion. The gripping portion and the suture holding portion are spaced, defining a recess in the body there between. A tube of the gripping portion extends toward the suture holding portion and maintains a needle therein. The needle is slidable within the tube between a retracted position and an extended position. The needle has a notch at its distal end for catching and securing a limb of suture. In the retracted position, the distal end of the needle is within the tube of the gripping portion and in the extended position, the distal end of the needle extends into the suture holding portion.

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.