# US 10,945,721 B2 · Laparoscopic suturing devices, needles, sutures, and drive systems

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- Number: US 10,945,721 B2
- Document ID: US10945721B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/168,734
- Filed: 2018-10-23
- Published: 2019-02-21
- Granted: 2021-03-16
- Earliest claimed: 2016-10-24
- Assignees: ReViable Surgical, Inc.
- Applicants: ReViable Surgical, Inc.
- Inventors: Derek O'Hara; Jack Pullo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945721B2

## CPC

- A61B 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery}
- A61B 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)}
- A61B 17/0485: {Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet}
- 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 17/0491: {Sewing machines for surgery}
- A61B 17/06004: {Means for attaching suture to needle (tipping A61B17/06195)}
- A61B 17/06066: {Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations}
- A61B 17/06114: {Packages or dispensers for needles or sutures (packages for sharps A61B50/3001; for dental floss A61C15/043; packages for needles in general B65D85/24)}
- A61B 17/06128: {Elongate cylinders, i.e. tubes}
- A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)}
- A61B 17/0625: {the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator (A61B17/06109 takes precedence)}
- A61B 17/29: Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 2017/00004: {(bio)absorbable, (bio)resorbable or resorptive}
- A61B 2017/00296: {mounted on an endoscope}
- A61B 2017/00367: {Details of actuation of instruments, e.g. relations between pushing buttons, or the like, and activation of the tool, working tip, or the like}
- A61B 2017/00477: {Coupling (A61B2017/0046 takes precedence)}
- A61B 2017/00862: {elastic or resilient}
- A61B 2017/047: {having at least one proximally pointing needle located at the distal end of the instrument, e.g. for suturing trocar puncture wounds starting from inside the body}
- A61B 2017/0496: {for tensioning sutures}
- A61B 2017/06009: {having additional means for releasably clamping the suture to the needle, e.g. actuating rod slideable within the needle}
- A61B 2017/06042: {located close to needle tip}
- A61B 2017/06076: {helically or spirally coiled}
- A61B 2017/0608: {J-shaped}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)

## Abstract

Devices are provided for a suturing device used during laparoscopic surgical procedures. A suturing needle includes a shaft forming a rod axis; a curved body having a piercing tip at a first end and a base at a second end; and an arm extending radially from the shaft to the base of the curved body such that the curved body is positioned in a plane orthogonal to the rod axis of the shaft and rotatable about the shaft in the plane orthogonal to the rod axis. The suturing device includes a housing, a suturing needle, one or more sutures, a suture magazine configured to hold the one or more sutures, and a drive system, whereby the drive system may actuate the suturing needle to rotate in the plane orthogonal to the drive system, allowing the suturing needle to drive in to and out of tissue to apply a suture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A suturing device, comprising:
a housing having an aperture;
a suturing needle retained within the housing and comprising:
a shaft defining a rod axis, and
a curved body comprising a piercing tip at a first region and a base coupled to the shaft at a second region of the curved body such that the curved body is positioned in a plane intersected by the rod axis of the shaft;
a suture magazine retained within the housing and holding a plurality of sutures, each comprising a fastener end, an anchor end, and a thread extending between the fastener end and the anchor end, wherein the suture magazine comprises an elastic member and a suture mover that cooperate to bias remaining sutures of the plurality of sutures toward the aperture;
a drive system that transforms a compressive force into rotation of the shaft of the suturing needle, wherein engagement of the drive system transitions the suturing needle between a first operation mode and a second operation mode,
wherein, in the first operation mode, the piercing tip of the curved body is rotated in a first direction and engages the fastener end of at least one of the plurality of sutures as it exits the aperture of the housing for insertion into a tissue, and
wherein in the second operation mode, the curved body is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction and engages the anchor end of at least one of the plurality of sutures to displace it from the aperture of the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The suturing device of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a curved interior surface with a needle track that maintains the suturing needle in the plane.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The suturing device of claim 1, wherein the aperture is displaced from the rod axis defined by the shaft, and wherein in the first operation mode, the fastener end of at least one of the plurality of sutures exits the aperture at a first side of the aperture, and in the second operation mode, the base displaces the anchor end of at least one of the plurality of sutures from a second side of the aperture, across the rod axis.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The suturing device of claim 1, further comprising a catch coupled to an interior portion of the housing to a side of the aperture, the catch configured to releasably capture the fastener end of a suture of the plurality of sutures being inserted through tissue when the anchor of the suture is displaced from the aperture.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The suturing device of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises:
a tube having a groove; and
a rod coupled to the shaft of the suturing needle and comprising a protrusion configured to engage the groove;
wherein in the first operation mode, the protrusion traverses the groove, thereby rotating the piercing tip of the curved body in the first direction, and
wherein in the second operation mode, the protrusion traverses the groove in reverse, thereby rotating the curved body in the second direction.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The suturing device of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a hub with a set of handles configured to transform the compressive force into rotation of the shaft of the suturing needle.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The suturing device of claim 6, wherein the set of handles comprises a set of receiving members configured to couple with a set of clamps of a surgical device, the surgical device applying the compressive force, through the set of clamps, in the first operation mode.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The suturing device of claim 6, wherein the hub is coupled to a robotic interface that engage the set of handles, the robotic interface applying the compressive force in the first operation mode.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The suturing device of claim 8, wherein the robotic interface comprises a forceps arm that engages the set of handles.

### Claim 10

A suturing device, comprising:
a housing having an aperture;
a suturing needle retained within the housing and comprising:
a shaft defining a rod axis, and
a curved body comprising a piercing tip at a first region and a base coupled to the shaft at a second region of the curved body such that the curved body is positioned in a plane intersected by the rod axis of the shaft;
a suture magazine retained within the housing and holding a plurality of sutures, each comprising a fastener end, an anchor end, and a suture thread extending between the fastener end and the anchor end, wherein the suture magazine comprises an elastic member and a suture mover that cooperate to bias remaining sutures of the plurality of sutures toward the aperture;
a drive system coupled to the shaft; and
a robotic interface coupled to the drive system and operable to transition the suturing needle between a first operation mode and a second operation mode,
wherein, in the first operation mode, the piercing tip of the curved body is rotated in a first direction and engages the fastener end of at least one of the plurality of sutures as it exits the aperture of the housing, for insertion into a tissue, and
wherein in the second operation mode, the curved body is rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction and engages the anchor end of at least one of the plurality of sutures to displace it from the aperture of the housing.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The suturing device of claim 10, wherein the drive system comprises a hub coupled to the robotic interface.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The suturing device of claim 11, wherein the hub comprises a set of handles coupled to a forceps arm of the robotic interface, the set of handles operable to transform a compressive force applied by the forceps arm into translation of the hub and rotation of the curved body about the rod axis.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The suturing device of claim 11, wherein the hub comprises a member configured to engage the robotic interface and thereby transform a force applied by the robotic interface into rotation of a grooved portion of the drive system coupled to the shaft of the suturing needle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The suturing device of claim 10, wherein the housing comprises a curved interior surface with a needle track that maintains the suturing needle in the plane, and wherein the plane is orthogonal to the rod axis.

### Claim 15 (depends on 10)

The suturing device of claim 10, wherein the aperture is displaced from the rod axis defined by the shaft, and wherein in the first operation mode, the piercing tip displaces the fastener end of at least one of the plurality of sutures from a first side of the aperture, and in the second operation mode, the base displaces the anchor end of at least one of the plurality of sutures from a second side of the aperture, across the rod axis.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The suturing device of claim 10, wherein the drive system comprises:
a tube having a groove; and
a rod coupled to the shaft of the suturing needle and comprising a protrusion configured to engage the groove;
wherein in the first operation mode, the protrusion traverses the groove, thereby rotating the piercing tip of the curved body in the first direction, and
wherein in the second operation mode, the protrusion traverses the groove in reverse, thereby rotating the curved body in the second direction.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The suturing device of claim 16, wherein the rod is seated within the tube and constrained to translate and rotate within the tube along the rod axis.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The suturing device of claim 16, further comprising a trigger that, when engaged and disengaged by the robotic interface, causes the protrusion to move along a path defined by the groove.