Tissue Ligation Apparatus With A Rotating Spool Assembly And A Valve Assembly

A system for tissue ligation comprising:

• a rotating spool assembly having a hub and a spool, an opening being formed in the hub;
• a valve assembly having a mating stem member, a lumen extending through a longitudinal center of the mating stem member and aligned on a proximal end of the mating stem member with the opening in the rotating spool assembly, the valve assembly being coupled to a distal end of the rotating spool assembly;
• a wire having a cross sectional dimension not exceeding the lumen of the valve assembly, and hooks being formed on each end of the wire;
• and
• a release cord having a braided cord with first and second single filaments, the single filaments being braided together at a proximal end of the braided cord and separated at a distal end of the braided cord, a plurality of beads being formed along a length of each of the first and second single filaments at the distal end of the braided cord.

A method for assisting with tissue ligation, comprising:

• passing a loading member having a wire with a hook formed on at least a distal end through an opening in a rotating spool assembly having a spool, distally along a lumen formed in a valve assembly coupled to the rotating spool assembly, and distally along a length of a working channel of an endoscope such that the hook protrudes from a distal end of the working channel;
• securing a proximal end of a release cord onto the hook, the release cord having a braided cord with at least two single filaments, the single filaments being separated at a distal end of the braided cord and having a plurality of beads formed along a distal length of each of the single filaments;
• drawing the proximal end of the release cord proximally through the working channel, the valve assembly, and the rotating spool assembly until the proximal end of the release cord protrudes from a proximal end of the rotating spool assembly;
• and
• attaching the proximal end of the release cord to the spool of the rotating spool assembly.