# US 2013/0158568 A1 · Automated suture device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0158568 A1 - Document ID: US20130158568A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/714,540 - Filed: 2012-12-14 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-12-14 - Assignees: Msk, LLC - Inventors: Michael Kia; Mehrdad Zadeh - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158568A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery} - A61B 17/0467: {Instruments for cutting sutures (surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32)} - A61B 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)} - A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)} - A61B 2017/06104: {interconnected at their distal ends, e.g. two hollow needles forming a loop for passing a suture} - A61B 2017/0619: {thermoplastic, e.g. for bonding, welding, fusing or cutting the suture by melting it} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A suture device including a hollow shaft; a pair of jaws disposed at an end of the hollow shaft, at least one of the jaws being actuated by an actuation arm coupled to an actuation mechanism, and each of the jaws including a channel formed therein for carrying a suture; a locking device disposed in the hollow shaft operable to grip an end of the suture; a cutting device disposed in the hollow shaft operable to cut an opposing end of the suture; and a heating device configured to remove the suture from the channels of the pair of jaws, and fuse the suture. The suture can include a core surrounded by an outer coating, wherein the outer coating has a melting point less than a melting point of the inner core. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A suture device, comprising: a shaft having an interior; a pair of jaws disposed at a distal end of the shaft, at least one of the jaws being movable, and each of the jaws including a channel for carrying a suture; and a heating device disposed in the interior of the shaft, and movable relative to the shaft and the pair of jaws, wherein the heating device is operable to fuse opposing ends of the suture as it passes through each of the channels. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The suture device of claim 1, further comprising a locking device for gripping an end of the suture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The suture device of claim 2, further comprising a cutting device for cutting an opposing end of the suture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The suture device of claim 1, wherein each of the jaws includes a slot configured to receive passage of the heating device. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The suture device of claim 1, wherein the heating device includes a seat disposed between a pair of guiding elements, the guiding elements operable for guiding the suture from the channels of the each of the jaws into the seat. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The suture device of claim 3, wherein each of the locking device and cutting device are actuated by wires coupled to an actuation mechanism. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The suture device of claim 6, wherein the wires are formed from a shape-memory alloy. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The suture device of claim 1, wherein at least one of the jaws forms a hollow needle. ### Claim 9 A suture comprising an inner core and an outer coating that covers the inner core, the inner core being formed of a material having a higher melting point than a melting point of the outer coating. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The suture of claim 9, wherein the inner core is formed of polyglycolic acid. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The suture of claim 9, wherein the outer coating is formed of polycaprolactone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The suture of claim 9, further comprising a plasticizer between the inner core and the outer covering. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The suture of claim 9, wherein the core has a diameter in the range of 0.3 to 0.6 mm, and the outer coating has a thickness in the range of 0.05 to 0.2 mm. ### Claim 14 A suture device, comprising: a hollow shaft; a pair of jaws disposed at an end of the hollow shaft, at least one of the jaws being actuated by an actuation arm coupled to an actuation mechanism, and each of the jaws including a channel formed therein for carrying a suture; a locking device disposed in the hollow shaft operable to grip an end of the suture; a cutting device disposed in the hollow shaft operable to cut an opposing end of the suture; and a heating device configured to remove the suture from the channels of the pair of jaws, and fuse the suture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The suture device of claim 14, wherein each of the jaws includes a slot configured to receive passage of the heating device. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The suture device of claim 14, wherein the heating device includes a seat disposed between a pair of guiding elements, the guiding elements operable for guiding the suture from the channels of the each of the jaws into the seat. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The suture device of claim 14, wherein each of the locking device and cutting device are actuated by wires coupled to an actuation mechanism. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The suture device of claim 17, wherein the wires are formed from a shape-memory alloy. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The suture device of claim 14, wherein at least one of the jaws forms a hollow needle. ### Claim 20 A method for securing a suture using a suture device including a shaft having an interior; a pair of jaws disposed at a distal end of the shaft, at least one of the jaws being movable, and each of the jaws including a channel for carrying the suture; and heating device disposed in the interior of the shaft, and movable relative to the shaft and the pair of jaws, the method comprising: placing the suture device proximate a location that requires suturing; moving the jaws about the location that requires suturing; passing the suture through the jaws of the suture device; and fusing the suture using the heating device.