# US 10,478,170 B2 · T-fastener suture delivery system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,478,170 B2 - Document ID: US10478170B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/453,783 - Filed: 2017-03-08 - Published: 2017-06-22 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2011-02-09 - Assignees: C. R. Bard, Inc. - Applicants: C. R. Bard, Inc. - Inventors: Steven A. Weir; Glade H. Howell; Michael Barenboym; Kenneth A. Eliasen; Matthew J. Cohn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10478170B2 ## CPC - 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 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)} - A61B 17/0487: {Suture clamps, clips or locks, e.g. for replacing suture knots; Instruments for applying or removing suture clamps, clips or locks (suture anchors A61B17/0401; wound clamps or clips A61B17/08; ligaturing clamps or clips A61B17/122)} - A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)} - A61B 2017/00818: {Treatment of the gastro-intestinal system} - A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors} - A61B 2017/0417: {T-fasteners} - A61B 2017/0488: {Instruments for applying suture clamps, clips or locks} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A delivery device for inserting a plurality of T-fastener-equipped sutures into a body of a patient in a spaced-apart configuration for the purpose of securing the stomach wall against the abdominal wall, also known as gastropexy, is disclosed. The suture delivery device is configured to deliver multiple sutures using a single needle and without need for reloading, saving time and effort for the clinician and simplifying the suture placement process. In one embodiment, a T-fastener-equipped suture delivery device comprises a housing, a hollow needle extending from the housing, and a plurality of T-fastener-equipped sutures at least partially disposed within one of the needle and the housing. An ejection assembly for successively ejecting the T-fasteners from a distal end of the needle without reloading the delivery device is also included in the housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A delivery device, comprising: a housing including a plurality of teeth defining a plurality of pockets on an interior side surface; a needle extending from a distal end of the housing; a plurality of T-fasteners, each of the T-fasteners including: a fastener portion disposed in a lumen of the needle; and a suture portion extending toward a proximal end of the housing; and an ejection assembly including: an actuator designed for reciprocal movement between a first position and a second position, wherein the fastener portion is ejected from a distal end of the needle in the second position; and an ejector designed for incremental distal movement, the ejector including: a plurality of teeth designed to engage the actuator; and an ejector arm designed to engage the plurality of pockets. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of T-fasteners includes three fastener portions disposed in the lumen of the needle. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of teeth defining the plurality of pockets comprises: a first plurality of teeth and pockets positioned on a first interior side surface; and a second plurality of teeth and pockets positioned on a second interior side surface opposite of the first interior side surface. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The delivery device according to claim 3, wherein the ejector arm is designed to engage the first plurality of teeth and pockets, and wherein the ejector further comprises a second arm designed to engage the second plurality of teeth and pockets. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The delivery device according to claim 4, wherein the plurality of teeth of the ejector comprises a first plurality of teeth and a second plurality of teeth opposite of the first plurality of teeth. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The delivery device according to claim 5, wherein the actuator comprises a first member designed to engage the first plurality of teeth and a second member designed to engage the second plurality of teeth upon movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the ejection assembly further includes a push rod extending distally from the ejector, the push rod contacting the fastener portion of each of the plurality of T-fasteners in succession upon movement of the actuator from the first position to the second position. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of external bolsters disposed on the needle, wherein each of the plurality of external bolsters is designed to slide from the needle and onto the suture portion of each of the plurality of T-fasteners in the second position to secure each of the plurality of T-fasteners to a patient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of T-fasteners includes an indentation for passage of the suture portion of one or more T-fasteners. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the T-fasteners is a hollow T-fastener that defines a C-shaped cross-sectional configuration, the hollow T-fastener designed to impose a friction force against an inner surface of the needle. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, further comprising a needle hub attached to the housing, the needle hub including a lumen in fluid communication with the needle lumen, wherein a valve is disposed in a proximal end of the needle hub lumen to prevent fluids from entering the housing. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The delivery device according to claim 11, wherein the needle hub further comprises an injection port, the injection port including a lumen in fluid communication with the lumen of the needle. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The delivery device according to claim 1, wherein the actuator is biased in the first position by a spring disposed in the housing.