A suturing device includes a clamshell body having a first side coupled to a second side by a hinge at a hinge end. The first side and the second side each have a cantilevered end opposite the hinge end. The clamshell body is configured to actuate between an open position and a closed position. A suture retainer is positioned within the claim shell body and is configured to receive a suture. An opening is formed in a wall of the of the second side of the clamshell body.

A suturing device comprising an elongated member including a cavity formed in a surface thereof, a needle passage, and a vacuum port. When the elongated member is inserted into a body including tissue and a vacuum is applied to the cavity, the tissue is captured by the cavity. A needle pusher is operable to move a needle having a sutured attached thereto through the tissue until a first end of the needle is captured by a needle capturing assembly. A clamp coupled to the elongated member is used to extract the needle from the needle capturing assembly and reposition the needle with suture attached to be re-engaged by the needle pusher. The cavity may include a plurality of cavity portions for capturing multiple contiguous portions of the tissue such that a single pass of the needle and the suture results in the suturing of the multiple portions of the tissue.

A needle holder is described, comprising first and second handles. Each handle comprises a finger loop at a proximal end of the handle, an arm fixedly attached to the finger loop, extending toward a distal end of the handle and defining a longitudinal axis, and a jaw fixedly attached to the arm, extending along the longitudinal axis toward the distal end of the handle. The needle holder further includes a sliding pivot joint connecting the first and second handles at a connection point between the arms and the jaws, the sliding pivot joint configured to allow the first and second handles to move rotationally with respect to one another about a rotational axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis at the connection point, and/or translationally with respect to one another along the longitudinal axis. A method of grasping a needle is also described.

The present disclosure relates to a device for meniscal repair for use in areas of a human body where tissue can either be surgically reattached to bone or surgically repaired when a tear forms in the tissue. The device may take one of three forms; in a first form, the device comprises a handle and a deployment member permitting the deployment of anchors or sutures to the tissue requiring repair; subsequently the device may take a second form comprising the handle, still in place, and a cutter member for manipulating and cutting anchors and sutures to assist in repair of the tissue; in its third form, the device comprises the handle, still in place, and a fluid injection member for applying a fluid to aid in improving biological conditions for the tissue to heal.

A button inserter includes a shaft having a fulcrum that extends beyond a distal tip of the shaft. An inner rod is within the shaft and has a button mating surface that extends from a distal tip of the inner rod. A handle includes a handle switch that translates the inner rod between an extended position where the button mating surface of the inner rod extends beyond the distal tip of the shaft and a retracted position where the button mating surface of the inner rod is located completely within the shaft.

An apparatus for preventing deployment failure or damage of a movable portion of a treatment device via a force limiting element in the treatment device.

A self-punching lateral row driver. The driver includes a handle assembly comprising a strike surface and retention cleat, a suture cleat, and a handle body. The handle body is rotatable relative to the suture cleat. The driver also includes a driver tube assembly extending from the suture cleat and an anchor assembly. The anchor assembly includes a proximal screw and a distal anchor with a self-punching tip. The anchor assembly is connected to the driver tube assembly. In a pre-deployment configuration, the screw and the anchor are spaced along the driver tube assembly and in a post-deployment configuration, the screw abuts or engages the anchor. The rotation of the handle with respect to the suture cleat moves the screw from the pre-deployment configuration to the post-deployment configuration.

A tissue-engaging element is advanced to a heart, while coupled to a guide member. The tissue-engaging element is then coupled to tissue of the heart. An elongate implant is subsequently slid distally along the guide member toward the tissue-engaging element, and the elongate implant is subsequently locked to the tissue-engaging element. Other embodiments are also described.

A valve prosthesis and methods for implanting the prosthesis are provided. The prosthesis generally includes a self-expanding frame and two or more engagement arms. A valve prosthesis is sutured to the self-expanding frame. Each engagement arm corresponds to a native mitral valve leaflet. At least one engagement arm immobilizes the native leaflets, and holds the native leaflets close to the main frame. The prosthetic mitral valve frame also includes two or more anchor attachment points. Each anchor attachment point is attached to one or more anchors that help attach the valve prosthesis to the heart.

An anchor is shaped to define a helix. A deployment tool is reversibly coupled to the anchor, and includes a lance. The deployment tool is configured to transluminally advance the anchor to the heart, and to stabilize the anchor at the tissue by driving the lance into the tissue. The deployment tool is also configured to anchor the anchor to the tissue, for example, by driving the tissue-penetrating helix into the tissue while the anchor remains stabilized at the tissue by the lance in the tissue, and to subsequently retract the lance from the tissue while leaving the anchor anchored to the tissue. Other embodiments are also described.