Suture passer devices and methods
AssigneeCeterix Orthopaedics, Inc.
InventorsMichael Murillo, Stephen J. Peter
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Suture passer devices and methods of using the devices having one or more protective interlocks preventing or limiting operation of the suture passer when deployment of the needle may damage the apparatus or harm the patient. For example, described herein are suture passer devices that include an interlock preventing deployment of the tissue penetrator (needle) when the jaws are not clamped onto a tissue. Also described herein are interlocks preventing retraction of a jaw axially until the needle is retracted.
Claims17
A method for controlling actuation of a suture passer to avoid tissue injury, the suture passer having a handle, an elongate body and first and second jaw members extending from a distal end region of the elongate body, the handle including a clamp trigger, a lock member and a tissue penetrator trigger, the method comprising:
- moving the clamp trigger from a first position that is free from the lock member to a second position that engages the lock member, to move the first jaw member towards the second jaw member and thereby move the first jaw member from an open orientation towards a clamped orientation;
- and then
- further moving the clamp trigger to move the first jaw member further towards the clamped orientation, and also disengage
- the lock member from the tissue penetrator trigger;
- and
- once the lock member has disengaged from the tissue penetrator trigger, actuating the tissue penetrator trigger to pass a tissue penetrator between the first and second jaw members.
A method of controlling a suture passer, the suture passer including a first and a second jaw member, both disposed at a distal end region of an elongate body of the suture passer, the suture passer also including a handle with a thumb trigger, a clamp trigger and a tissue penetrator trigger, the method comprising:
- actuating the thumb trigger to axially extend the second jaw member from the elongate body and then releasing hold on the thumb trigger to leave the second jaw member axially extended;
- actuating the clamp trigger to move the first jaw member towards the second jaw member to clamp tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members;
- actuating the tissue penetrator trigger to extend a tissue penetrator between the first and second jaw members;
- and wherein actuating the tissue penetrator trigger also blocks the thumb trigger from actuating to retract the second jaw member when the tissue penetrator is extended and thereby avoids injuring tissue between or adjacent to the first and second jaw members.
A method of controlling a suture passer, the suture passer including a first and a second jaw member, both disposed at a distal end region of an elongate body of the suture passer, the suture passer also including a handle with a thumb trigger, a clamp trigger and a tissue penetrator trigger, the method comprising:
- pushing the thumb trigger in a first direction to extend the second jaw member from the elongate body;
- actuating the clamp trigger to move the first jaw member towards the second jaw member to clamp tissue disposed between the first and second jaw members;
- actuating the tissue penetrator trigger to extend a tissue penetrator between the first and second jaw members;
- and wherein actuating the tissue penetrator trigger also blocks the thumb trigger from actuating to retract the second jaw member when the tissue penetrator is extended and thereby avoids injuring tissue between or adjacent to the first and second jaw members;
- and
- pushing the thumb trigger in the first direction to retract the second jaw member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.