# US 2023/0069080 A1 · Controlled suture tensioning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0069080 A1 - Document ID: US20230069080A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/047,974 - Filed: 2022-10-19 - Published: 2023-03-02 - Earliest claimed: 2020-04-22 - Assignees: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Applicants: Edwards Lifesciences Corporation - Inventors: Jyoti B. Rao; John Richard Carpenter; Bryan A. Janish - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230069080A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/04: for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials - A61B 17/0401: {Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors (A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811)} - A61B 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery} - A61B 17/0485: {Devices or means, e.g. loops, for capturing the suture thread and threading it through an opening of a suturing instrument or needle eyelet} - A61B 2017/00243: {cardiac} - A61B 2017/0406: {Pledgets} - A61B 2017/0409: {Instruments for applying suture anchors} - A61B 2017/0443: {the shaft being resilient and having a coiled or helical shape in the released state} - A61B 2017/0464: {for soft tissue} - A61B 2017/0496: {for tensioning sutures} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2562/0252: Load cells - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A tensioning device includes an elongate plunger, a plunger track housing configured to receive the plunger therein at least in part, an elongate tube configured to be coupled to the plunger track housing, and an actuator configured to cause axial translation of at least a portion of the plunger within the plunger track housing. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A tensioning device comprising: an elongate plunger; a plunger track housing configured to receive the plunger therein at least in part; an elongate tube configured to be coupled to the plunger track housing; and an actuator configured to cause axial translation of at least a portion of the plunger within the plunger track housing. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The tensioning device of claim 1, wherein the plunger has a suture-fixation feature associated therewith. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The tensioning device of claim 2, wherein the suture-fixation feature includes a Luer assembly. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The tensioning device of claim 2, wherein the suture-fixation feature includes a radially-projecting form configured to have suture wound thereabout. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The tensioning device of claim 1, wherein: the plunger includes radially-projecting screw threads; and the actuator includes screw threads configured to mate with the screw threads of the plunger. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The tensioning device of claim 5, wherein: the screw threads of the plunger are radially flattened over at least one circumferential segment of the plunger; and the plunger track includes an axial opening having a truncated circle shape and configured to fit the plunger therein. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The tensioning device of claim 1, wherein the plunger track housing includes a tube-fit channel open on a distal end of the plunger track housing and configured to receive a proximal end of the tube. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The tensioning device of claim 1, wherein the actuator is configured to be rotatably secured to a proximal end of the plunger track housing. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The tensioning device of claim 8, wherein the plunger track housing includes a radially-open circumferential channel on a proximal side of the plunger track housing. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The tensioning device of claim 9, wherein: the actuator includes one or more radially-oriented threaded apertures configured to have one or more respective setscrews disposed therein; and the apertures are configured to allow the one or more setscrews project into the circumferential channel to axially secure the actuator to the plunger track housing. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The tensioning device of claim 1, further comprising a load cell device configured to generate signals indicative of an amount of tension force applied to a portion of the plunger. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The tensioning device of claim 11, wherein the load cell is integrated with a proximal flange portion of the plunger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The tensioning device of claim 12, wherein the plunger comprises: a suture-attachment structure associated with a portion of the plunger that is on a proximal side of the flange portion; and an elongate threaded portion that is on a distal side of the flange portion. ### Claim 14 A method for tensioning sutures in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising: drawing a suture through one or more channels of a suture-tensioning device; fixing the suture to a plunger component of the suture-tensioning device; and adjusting a relative axial position between the plunger component and a plunger track component of the suture-tensioning device to thereby adjust a tension of a portion of the suture. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said adjusting the relative axial position between the plunger component and the plunger track component involves manipulating an actuator coupled to the plunger component and the plunger track component. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein said manipulating the actuator involves rotating the actuator about the plunger track component to thereby drive threads of the plunger component using corresponding threads of the actuator component. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said fixing the suture to the plunger component involves engaging the suture with a suture-fixation feature associated with a proximal portion of the plunger component. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising: snaring the suture with a snare wire disposed in, and axially traversing, the suture-tensioning device; and drawing the suture proximally through the suture-tensioning device using the snare wire. ### Claim 19 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising, after said adjusting the tension of the portion of the suture: clamping the suture distal to the suture-tensioning device; removing the suture-tensioning device from the suture; and tying one or more knots with the suture while the suture is clamped to fix the tension of the portion of the suture.