# US 10,307,165 B2 · Apparatus and method for radially bunching a bodily lumen

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,307,165 B2
- Document ID: US10307165B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/864,269
- Filed: 2015-09-24
- Published: 2017-03-30
- Granted: 2019-06-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-24
- Assignees: Ethicon, Inc.
- Applicants: Ethicon Endo-Surgery, LLC
- Inventors: Cortney E. Henderson; Tamara S. Vetro Widenhouse; Charles J. Scheib
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10307165B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/12: for ligaturing or otherwise compressing tubular parts of the body, e.g. blood vessels or umbilical cord
- A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)}
- A61B 17/072: for applying a row of staples in a single action, e.g. the staples being applied simultaneously
- A61B 17/1114: {of the digestive tract, e.g. bowels or oesophagus}
- A61B 17/1155: {Circular staplers comprising a plurality of staples}
- A61B 17/12009: {Implements for ligaturing other than by clamps or clips, e.g. using a loop with a slip knot}
- B24D 3/002: {Flexible supporting members, e.g. paper, woven, plastic materials}
- D04H 1/435: Polyesters
- D04H 1/60: the bonding agent being applied in dry state, e.g. thermo-activatable agents in solid or molten state, and heat being applied subsequently
- D04H 3/011: Polyesters
- D04H 3/12: with filaments or yarns secured together by chemical or thermo-activatable bonding agents, e.g. adhesives, applied or incorporated in liquid or solid form
- A61B 17/0401: {Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811)}
- A61B 2017/00398: {using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids}
- A61B 2017/00734: {battery operated}
- A61B 2017/00818: {Treatment of the gastro-intestinal system}
- A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue}
- A61B 2017/06176: {with protrusions, e.g. barbs}
- A61B 2017/07257: {characterised by its anvil}
- A61B 2017/1142: {Purse-string sutures}
- A61B 2017/1157: {applying the staples radially}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- B24D: TOOLS FOR GRINDING, BUFFING OR SHARPENING (abrading-bodies specially designed for tumbling apparatus, e.g. abrading-balls B24B31/14; honing tools B24B33/08; lapping tools B24B37/11)
- D04H: MAKING TEXTILE FABRICS, e.g. FROM FIBRES OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL (weaving D03; knitting D04B; braiding D04C; net-making D04G; sewing D05B; tufting D05C; finishing non-woven fabrics D06); FABRICS MADE BY SUCH PROCESSES OR APPARATUS, e.g. FELTS, NON-WOVEN FABRICS; COTTON-WOOL; WADDING {; NON-WOVEN FABRICS FROM STAPLE FIBRES, FILAMENTS OR YARNS, BONDED WITH AT LEAST ONE WEB-LIKE MATERIAL DURING THEIR CONSOLIDATION}(non-woven fabrics having an intermediate or external layer of a different kind, e.g. of woven fabric, B32B)

## Abstract

An apparatus includes a locking portion, a flexible pulling portion, a flexible body, and a plurality of barb features extending laterally from the body. The locking portion is configured to receive the pulling portion. The pulling portion is configured to engage and translate relative to the locking portion after the locking portion has received the pulling portion. The flexible body extends from the locking portion to the pulling portion. The flexible body is configured to form a loop when the pulling portion engages the locking portion. The loop is configured to decrease in size in response to pulling of the pulling portion relative to the locking portion. The barb features are configured to engage a tubular region of tissue and thereby form pleats in the tubular region of tissue.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus comprising:
(a) a locking portion;
(b) a flexible pulling portion, wherein the locking portion is configured to receive the pulling portion, wherein the pulling portion is configured to engage and translate relative to the locking portion after the locking portion has received the pulling portion;
(c) a flexible body, wherein the flexible body extends from the locking portion to the pulling portion, wherein the flexible body is configured to form a loop when the pulling portion engages the locking portion, wherein the loop is configured to decrease in size in response to pulling of the pulling portion relative to the locking portion; and
(d) a plurality of barb features extending laterally from the body, wherein the barb features are configured to engage a tubular region of tissue and thereby form pleats in the tubular region of tissue, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features defines a retaining gap, wherein the flexible pulling portion is slidably coupled within the retaining gap of each barb feature of the plurality of barb features such that the flexible pulling portion is slidable relative to the barb features, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features comprises a base, a pair of upper angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a first point, and a pair of lower angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a second point.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the locking portion is configured to restrict translation of the pulling portion to a single direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first point of each barb feature in the plurality of barb feature comprises a first piercing tip, wherein the first piercing tip is configured to pierce tissue.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features further comprise an inclined face extending from the first piercing tip toward the body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features further comprises a vertical face connected to the incline face, wherein the vertical face is configured to anchor the barb feature to pierced tissue.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the second point of said each barb feature comprises a second piercing tip.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first pair of angled arms is connected to the second pair of angled arms by a pair of connecting arms in said each barb feature.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the first pair of angled arms and the second pair of angled arms are parallel to each other in said each barb feature.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a plurality of ridges, wherein the locking portion is configured to progressively engage the ridges in response to pulling of the pulling portion relative to the locking portion.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the locking portion comprises a pawl feature, wherein the pawl feature is configured to ratchet along the ridges in response to pulling of the pulling portion relative to the locking portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pawl feature and the ridges are configured to enable the pulling portion to travel through the locking portion in a first direction, wherein the pawl feature and the ridges are configured to prevent the pulling portion from traveling through the locking portion in a second direction, wherein the second direction is opposite to the first direction.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a mandrel, wherein the body is configured to wrap around the mandrel.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mandrel is configured to fit within a colon, wherein the flexible body is configured to fit around a colon.

### Claim 14

An apparatus comprising:
(a) a locking portion;
(b) a flexible pulling portion, wherein the locking portion is configured to receive the pulling portion, wherein the pulling portion is configured to engage and translate relative to the locking portion after the locking portion has received the pulling portion to define a loop; and
(c) a plurality of barb features, wherein the barb features are configured to engage a tubular region of tissue and thereby form pleats in the tubular region of tissue, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features defines a retaining gap, wherein the flexible pulling portion is slidably disposed within the retaining gap of each barb feature such that the flexible pulling portion is slidable in the retaining gap of each barb feature, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features comprises a base, a pair of upper angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a first point, and a pair of lower angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a second point.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a first retainer extending from the pair of upper angled arms in said each barb feature and a second retainer extending from the pair of lower angled arms in said each barb feature, wherein the first retainer and the second retainer partially define the retaining gap of said each barb feature.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a flexible body connecting the plurality of barb features.

### Claim 17

An apparatus comprising:
(a) a locking portion;
(b) a flexible pulling portion, wherein the locking portion is configured to receive the pulling portion, wherein the pulling portion is configured to engage and translate relative to the locking portion after the locking portion has received the pulling portion;
(c) a flexible body, wherein the flexible body extends from the locking portion to the pulling portion, wherein the flexible body is configured to form a loop when the pulling portion engages the locking portion, wherein the loop is configured to decrease in size in response to pulling of the pulling portion relative to the locking portion; and
(d) a plurality of barb features extending laterally from the body, wherein the barb features are configured to engage a tubular region of tissue and thereby form pleats in the tubular region of tissue, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features defines a gap, wherein the flexible pulling portion is slidably disposed in the gap of each barb feature in the plurality of barb features such that the flexible pulling portion is slidable in the gap of each barb feature, wherein each barb feature in the plurality of barb features comprises a base, a pair of upper angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a first point, and a pair of lower angled arms extending from the base and terminating into a second point.