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US 10,245,024 B2Granted
Stitching end effector
AssigneeCovidien LP
InventorStanislaw Kostrzewski
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A stitching assembly includes upper and lower cradles, upper and lower needles, and first and second sutures supported by the upper and lower needles, respectively. The cradles move along a curved path in relation to the carriages between advanced and retracted positions. When each cradle is moved from the retracted position towards the advanced position, a stitch loop is formed when the respective needle is retracted. This process is repeated alternating between the first and second cradles with the upper and lower needles passing through the previous stitch loop formed by the other needle before passing through the tissue.
Claims20
An end effector comprising:
- a first cradle;
- a first carriage moveably supporting the first cradle along a first curved path between an advanced position and a retracted position relative to the first carriage;
- a first needle supported by and extending distally from the first cradle;
- a first suture supported by the first needle, the first cradle and the first carriage configured to draw the first suture through tissue when the first cradle moves towards the advanced position and configured to form a first stitch loop in the first suture when the first cradle is moved from the advanced position towards the retracted position;
- a second needle;
- and
- a second suture supported by the second needle, the second needle configured to draw the second suture through the first stitch loop.
4 more elements
A loading unit comprising:
- an inner housing having proximal and distal portions;
- a first jaw member supported by the distal portion of the inner housing and defining a first needle slot extending in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first jaw member;
- a second jaw member supported by the distal portion of the inner housing and defining a second needle slot extending in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the second jaw member, the first and second jaw members moveable relative to one another between an open position and a clamped position;
- a first cradle;
- a first carriage moveably supporting the first cradle along a curved path between an advanced position and a retracted position relative to the first carriage;
- a first needle supported by and extending distally from the first cradle;
- a first suture supported by the first needle, the first cradle moveable in relation to the first carriage to advance the first needle from the first needle slot towards the second needle slot and to retract the first needle from the second needle slot back within the first needle slot, the first cradle and the first carriage drawing the first suture through tissue when the first cradle as the first cradle advances and to form a first stitch loop in the first suture when the first cradle is retracted;
- a second needle;
- and
- a second suture supported by the second needle, the second needle drawing the second suture through the first stitch loop.
7 more elements
A stitching assembly comprising:
- a first jaw member;
- a second jaw member;
- a first needle moveable in a stepwise manner distally through the first jaw member, the first needle being moveable from a retracted position in which the first needle is disposed within the first jaw member to an advanced position in which the first needle is extended from the first jaw member towards the second jaw member;
- a first suture associated with the first needle;
- a second needle moveable in a stepwise manner distally within the second jaw member, the second needle being moveable from a retracted position in which the second needle is disposed within the second jaw member to an advanced position in which the second needle is extended from the second jaw member towards the first jaw member;
- and
- a second suture associated with the second needle;
- a first drive bar configured to, at each step of movement of the first needle, move the first needle from the retracted position to the advanced position and to return the first needle to the retracted position to form a first suture loop in the first suture through tissue and adjacent the second jaw member;
- and
- a second drive bar configured to, at each step of movement of the second needle, move the second needle from the retracted position to the advanced position through a suture loop of the first suture and to return the second needle to the retracted position to form a second suture loop in the second suture through tissue and adjacent the first jaw member.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.