Doppler directed suture ligation device and method

A method of preparing an anatomical vessel for ligation, comprising:

• providing a cannula including a first extended member, a second extended member, an ultrasonic vessel detector, and a distal end;
• positioning the cannula adjacent to an anatomical vessel;
• transmitting ultrasound signals toward the vessel with the ultrasonic vessel detector;
• receiving ultrasound signals reflected by the vessel with the ultrasonic vessel detector;
• positioning the first extended member on a first side of the vessel;
• positioning the second extended member on a second side of the vessel opposite the first side;
• and
• extending a length of ligation material between the first and second extended members on a side of the vessel opposite the cannula distal end.

A method of preparing an anatomical vessel for ligation, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a cannula adjacent to said vessel, said cannula including a first extendable member, a second extendable member, a Doppler wand, and a distal end;
• transmitting ultrasound signals toward said vessel with said Doppler wand;
• receiving ultrasound signals reflected by said vessel with said Doppler wand;
• extending said first extendable member on a first side of said vessel;
• extending said second extendable member on a second side of said vessel opposite said first side;
• and
• extending a length of ligation material between said first and second extendable members on a side of said vessel opposite said cannula distal end.

A device useful for guiding a length of ligation material around an anatomical feature comprising:

• a cannula including a hollow interior, a distal end, and a fenestration in the cannula proximal of the distal end;
• a hollow arm positioned in the cannula at the fenestration, the hollow arm including a rotatable pivot by which the arm is mounted to the cannula, the arm being rotatable from a retracted orientation with the arm positioned inside the cannula and a deployed orientation with a portion of the arm rotated about the pivot and through the fenestration;
• a pair of flexible and flat wire guides connected to the cannula and extending distally into the arm;
• at least one wire connected to the arm and extending proximally;
• wherein when the at least one wire is pulled proximally, the arm is rotated about the pivot into the deployed orientation.

A ligation device comprising:

• a cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and first and second cannula lumens extending longitudinally from the proximal end to the distal end;
• a first extendable member slidably received in the first cannula lumen having a distal end and a detachable element at the first extendable member distal end;
• a second extendable member which is slidably received in the second cannula lumen, which has a distal end, which is movable in the lumen from a retracted position in which said second extendable member distal end is proximal said cannula distal end, and an extended position in which said second extendable member distal end is distal of said cannula distal end, said second extendable member including a snare at said distal end of the second extendable member distal end;
• and
• at least one of said the first extendable member and said second extendable member including a portion which extends laterally across said cannula when said at least one of said first extendable member and said second extendable member is in said extended position.

A ligation device for vessel occlusion, comprising:

• a. a cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, at least one lumen extending longitudinally from the proximal end to the distal end;
• b. a vessel detector at the distal end of the cannula;
• c. a first extended member having a distal end and a detachable element at the distal end of the first extended member;
• d. a second extended member having a distal end and a snare at the distal end of the second extended member;
• and
• e. at least one of the first extended member and the second extended member having a portion which extends at least in part across the distal end of the cannula.

A ligation device comprising:

• a cannula having a proximal end, a distal end, and at least two lumens extending longitudinally from said proximal end to said distal end;
• a first extendable means slidably received in said first cannula lumen, said first extendable means having a distal end and being movable in said first lumen from a retracted position in which said first extendable means distal end is proximal said cannula distal end, and an extended position in which said first extendable means distal end is distal of said cannula distal end, said first extendable means including a detachable element at said first extendable means distal end;
• a second extendable means slidably received in said second cannula lumen, said second extendable means having a distal end and being movable in said second lumen from a retracted position in which said second extendable member distal end is proximal said cannula distal end, and an extended position in which said second extendable means distal end is distal of said cannula distal end, said second extendable means including a snare at said the distal end of the second extendable means distal end;
• at least one of said the first extendable means and said second extendable means including a portion which extends laterally across said cannula when said at least one of said first extendable means and said second extendable means is in said extended position;
• and
• a vessel detecting means located on the distal end of the cannula.