Arc-and-loop suture grasper for grasping a suture

An arc-and-loop suture grasper for grasping a suture comprising:

• (a) a suture retrieval needle comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a needle body extending therebetween, the needle body defining a needle body axis between the proximal and distal ends of the suture retrieval needle, the needle body having a proximal hole, a distal hole, and a needle lumen extending therebetween along the needle body axis;
• (b) a retriever body disposed within the needle lumen and translatable therein along the needle body axis;
• (c) an arced grasper wire having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the arced grasper wire being fixedly disposed within the retriever body, the arced grasper wire extending distally from the retriever body and being reversibly moveable between a first position and a second position;
• and
• (d) a looped grasper wire comprising a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion of the looped grasper wire being fixedly disposed within the retriever body, the distal portion of the looped grasper wire forming a grasper wire loop, the grasper wire loop having a distal-most loop point, the looped grasper wire extending distally from the retriever body, the arc-and-loop suture grasper sequestering the grasper wire loop within the needle lumen when the arced grasper wire is in the first position and exposing the grasper wire loop from the needle lumen when the arced grasper wire is in the second position, wherein:
• the arced grasper wire and the looped grasper wire are more flexible than the needle body;
• when the arced grasper wire is in the first position the arced grasper wire extends through the grasper wire loop and the distal end of the arced grasper wire extends further distally than the distal-most loop point of the grasper wire loop;
• when the arced grasper wire is in the second position the arced grasper wire arcs away from the grasper wire loop and the distal-most loop point of the grasper wire loop extends further distally than the distal end of the arced grasper wire;
• the arced grasper wire is sufficiently short to exit the grasper wire loop as the arced grasper wire is moved from the first position to the second position and the looped grasper wire translates in unison with the arced grasper wire, and to enter the grasper wire loop as the arced grasper wire is moved from the second position to the first position and the looped grasper wire translates in unison with the arced grasper wire;
• translation of the retriever body within the needle lumen in a first direction along the needle body axis causes the arced grasper wire to move from the first position to the second position, thereby allowing the arced grasper wire to exit the grasper wire loop and arc away from the grasper wire loop, exposing the grasper wire loop, and allowing a suture to fit between the arced grasper wire and the grasper wire loop beyond the needle lumen;
• and
• translation of the retriever body within the needle lumen in a second direction opposite the first direction along the needle body axis causes the arced grasper wire to move from the second position to the first position, thereby causing the arced grasper wire to arc toward the grasper wire loop and enter the grasper wire loop, sequestering the grasper wire loop, and grasping the suture between the arced grasper wire and the grasper wire loop within the needle lumen.