Intracardiac suture device

An intracardiac suture device, comprising:

• a first shaft assembly comprising a first shaft having a lumen passing therethrough from a proximal end to a distal end thereof, a first suture needle-holding means coaxially provided at and spaced from the distal end of the first shaft, and a connector with a hemostatic valve provided on the proximal end of the first shaft;
• a second shaft assembly comprising a second shaft slidably arranged in the first shaft assembly, and a connector with a hemostatic valve provided on the proximal end of the second shaft, said second shaft having first and second lumens passing therethrough from a proximal end thereof to a distal end thereof, said second lumen being closed at a distal end thereof with a transparent covering member;
• a third shaft assembly comprising a hollow third shaft slidably arranged in the first lumen of said second shaft assembly, and a handling portion provided at a proximal end of the third shaft;
• and
• a puncture assembly comprising a hollow operating rod provided at a distal end thereof with a second suture needle-holding means movably arranged in the distal end of the third shaft, said hollow operating rod being connected to the proximal end of the second suture needle-holding means and movably arranged in the third shaft assembly;
• and a visual monitoring means arranged in the distal end of the second lumen at a position close to the distal end of said cover member;
• wherein said second shaft is protrusible by sliding-movement from the distal end of the first shaft toward the first suture needle-holding means, and wherein a suture needle is transferable between the first suture needle-holding means and the second suture needle-holding means when the third shaft is slid to the distal end of the second shaft after sliding the second shaft to a position where a suture site is held between said covering member and the first suture needle-holding means.