An assembly and method for the protection of medical personnel from accidental suture needle sticks is described. The assembly includes a case containing a needle which can be retracted when not in use. The needle is extended and retracted through the engagement of a needle driver which compresses a compressible member. The compressible member exerts a force on the needle which in turn extends the needle's point beyond the casing so that the user can suture tissue. Disengaging the needle driver retracts the needle point which protects the user from accidentally receiving a needle prick from a contaminated needle between punctures.

A system includes a transcatheterally-advanceable driver and an implant. The implant includes a winch, and a tether that has an end portion. The winch includes a spool, a mount, and a driver interface engageable and drivable by the driver. The mount is coupled to the driver interface such that driving of the driver interface by the driver rotates the mount about a rotation axis. The spool is coupled to the tether, and defines a spool axis that is non-coaxial with the rotation axis. The tether extends away from the winch toward the end portion. The spool is fixedly coupled to the mount such that rotation of the mount about the rotation axis draws the end portion of the tether toward the spool by winding the tether around the spool axis of the spool. Other embodiments are also described.

A device is described. The device includes a suture guide and a tissue retracting surface to enable accurate and safe delivery of sutures through tissue.

Some suturing devices include a pair of flexible arms configured to force two pieces of tissue together and form a protrusion defined by the two pieces of tissue. Some suturing devices include a third flexible arm including a movable needle configured to apply a suture through both pieces of tissue of the protrusion. Some suturing devices include an actuator configured to move each flexible arm of the pair of flexible arms independently relative to the tissue and move the third flexible arm relative to the tissue. Some suturing devices include a pump configured to generate a suction force through the pair of flexible arms to force the tissue towards the pair of flexible arms.

According to one embodiment, a protective device for use in congestive heart failure treatments, and other treatments, includes a control mechanism, an elongate shaft, and a protective plate. The control mechanism is coupled with a proximal end of the elongate shaft and the protective plate is pivotably coupled with a distal end of the elongate shaft. The elongate shaft enables the protective plate to be inserted within a body and navigated distally of a heart wall. The protective plate has a relatively wide and thin body portion and is pivotable relative to the elongate shaft by operation of the control mechanism. Pivoting and/or navigating of the protective plate within the body allows the protective plate to be positioned adjacent the heart wall to shield body organs or tissue surrounding the heart wall from being damaged by surgical instruments inserted through the heart wall.

A fibrous tissue repair device includes first and second tubular anchors having corresponding longitudinal passages. The tissue repair device includes corresponding first and second inserters. Each inserter has a shaft with a distal portion received in the longitudinal passage of the corresponding tubular anchor. A flexible strand couples the first and second anchors.

Methods and systems are provided for securing tissue to bone. A suture anchor system can include an inserter tool having a lumen and an inserter shaft with an anchor receiving portion that is proximal to a distal extension. The anchor receiving portion can have a drive feature and the distal extension can have a diameter less than the anchor receiving portion. An anchor can be disposed on the anchor receiving portion of the inserter tool, and can have a driven feature disposed in a lumen configured to engage the drive member of the anchor receiving portion and a bone-engaging feature disposed on an external surface. A suture seating member can be removably disposed on the distal extension, can be rotatable independent of the anchor, and can have a lumen with an opening on a distal end, where the distal end of the suture seating member has a suture seating surface.

According to an aspect of the present disclosure, an end effector for use with a surgical device is provided. The end effector includes a drive assembly, a driver, a needle assembly and a biasing element. The driver is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the drive assembly. Rotation of the drive assembly in a first direction causes distal translation of the driver with respect to the drive assembly. The needle assembly is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the driver. Distal translation of the driver causes a corresponding distal translation of the needle assembly. The biasing element is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the needle assembly and is configured to bias the needle assembly proximally.

A surgical access device includes a cannula body, an anchor, and a first suture retention mechanism. The cannula body includes a housing and an elongated portion extending distally from the housing. The elongated portion defines a longitudinal axis and a channel extending therethrough. The anchor is disposed in mechanical cooperation with the elongated portion of the cannula body and is longitudinally translatable relative to the elongated portion. The first suture retention mechanism extends laterally from the anchor. A suture-receiving channel is defined between a portion of the suture retention mechanism and a portion of the anchor.

A device is described. The device includes a suture guide and a tissue retracting surface to enable accurate and safe delivery of sutures through tissue.