Suture passing systems and methods
AssigneeMarker Medical, LLC
InventorsDavid SKINLO, Ephraim AKYUZ, Daniel PERKINS
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implant manipulator may have a distal end that retains an implant, a proximal end, and an intermediate portion between the ends. The implant manipulator may be a needle for a suture passer, with a suture capture feature at the distal end. The suture capture feature may have first and second members that flex apart to permit entry of the suture into a suture capture hole wherein the suture is retained until released. A suture passer may include one or more needles. The suture passer may also include a pusher; a distal end with a sharp, blade-like extension; or a side-loading distal end.
Claims20
A suture passer system for a suture comprising a first free end, a second free end opposite the first free end, and a middle portion between the first free end and the second free end, the suture passer system comprising:
- a suture passer comprising a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, an intermediate portion coupled to and extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a first needle residing at least partially within the intermediate portion;
- wherein the distal end of the suture passer comprises a suture holding feature;
- wherein a distal end of the first needle comprises a distally-sharpened first member, a distally-sharpened second member, and a channel extending between the first member and the second member;
- wherein the first needle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the first needle resides at least partially within the intermediate portion of the suture passer when the first needle is in the retracted position, wherein the first needle extends to the suture holding feature in the distal end of the suture passer when the first needle is in the extended position;
- wherein the suture is transferred between the distal end of the suture passer and the first needle when the first needle moves between the retracted position and the extended position.
A suture passer system for a suture comprising a first free end, a second free end opposite the first free end, and a middle portion between the first free end and the second free end, the suture passer system comprising:
- a suture passer comprising a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, an intermediate portion coupled to and extending between the proximal end and the distal end, and a first needle residing at least partially within the intermediate portion;
- wherein the distal end of the suture passer comprises a distal wall oriented transversely to the intermediate portion, wherein the distal wall comprises a suture holding feature, wherein the distal wall terminates in a sharp, blade-like extension;
- wherein the first needle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the first needle resides at least partially within the intermediate portion of the suture passer when the first needle is in the retracted position, wherein the first needle extends to the suture holding feature when the first needle is in the extended position;
- wherein the suture is transferred between the distal end of the suture passer and the first needle when the first needle moves between the retracted position and the extended position.
A suture passer system for a suture comprising a first free end, a second free end opposite the first free end, and a middle portion between the first free end and the second free end, the suture passer system comprising:
- a suture passer comprising a proximal end, a distal end opposite the proximal end, an intermediate portion coupled to and extending between the proximal end and the distal end, a first needle residing at least partially within the intermediate portion, and a first pusher component residing at least partially within the intermediate portion;
- wherein the distal end of the suture passer comprises a suture holding feature;
- wherein the first pusher component comprises at least one pushing arm extending beside the first needle;
- wherein the first needle comprises a capture hole;
- wherein the first needle is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the first needle resides at least partially within the intermediate portion of the suture passer when the first needle is in the retracted position, wherein the first needle extends to the suture holding feature when the first needle is in the extended position;
- wherein the first pusher component is movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein the first pusher component resides at least partially within the intermediate portion of the suture passer when the first pusher component is in the retracted position, wherein the first pusher component extends to the suture holding feature when the first pusher component is in the extended position;
- wherein the suture is transferred from the capture hole of the first needle to the distal end of the suture passer when the first needle is in the extended position and the first pusher component moves between the retracted position and the extended position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.