Wound closure and tissue coupling systems and methods

Abstract

Surgical assemblies and related methods are provided for using an actuator to deploy an coupler configured to close a tissue puncture or natural opening in the body. The surgical assembly includes an actuator assembly having an elongate shaft including an outer shaft and an inner shaft concentrically disposed within the outer shaft to define a fluid flow path therebetween, and a deployable coupler coupled to a distal end of the outer shaft. The deployable coupler has a plurality of proximal and distal slits formed therein and configured to form proximal and distal wings. The proximal and distal slits are configured to allow blood to flow therethrough into an inner lumen of the deployable coupler and through the fluid flow path to a fluid outlet port formed in the actuator assembly.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.