Tissue connector apparatus and methods
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsBarry Gardiner, Laurent Schaller, Isidro Matias Gandionco, John Nguyen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tissue connector assembly having a flexible member and a surgical clip releasably coupled to the flexible member. A needle may be secured to one end portion of the flexible member with the surgical clip coupled to the other end portion of the flexible member. A locking device may be used to couple the flexible member to the surgical clip. A method for connecting tissues is also disclosed. The method includes drawing tissue portions together with a clip assembly and securing the tissue portions together with the clip assembly.
Claims22
A method for connecting portions of material, at least one portion comprising tissue, the method comprising:
- drawing multiple portions of material, at least one of which comprises tissue, together with a tissue connector assembly having a clip restrained in an open position with a restraint in a biased state, said restraint configured to define differing, biased and released states apart from said clip;
- and
- releasing the restraint from said biased state to said released slate to allow said clip to move toward a closed, loop-shaped configuration and secure said material portions therein,
- wherein said tissue connector assembly is pulled with at least a portion of said clip positioned through one of said portions of material.
A method for connecting portions of material, at least one portion comprising tissue, the method comprising:
- drawing multiple portions of material, at least one of which comprises tissue, together with a tissue connector assembly including a clip, which has an open position and a memory set closed, loop-shaped configuration, a needle, which has a tissue piercing end;
- and
- a restraining device that holds the clip in the open configuration and releasably couples the clip to the needle through a suture;
- and
- releasing the restraining device to allow the clip to move toward said closed configuration.
A method for connecting portions of material, at least one portion comprising tissue, the method comprising:
- drawing multiple portions of material, at least one of which comprises tissue, together with a tissue connector assembly having a clip restrained in an open position with a restraint including a locking mechanism, wherein said tissue connector assembly is inserted into said multiple portions of material with a needle;
- releasing said locking mechanism, wherein releasing of said locking mechanism simultaneously releases said needle from said clip and transitions said restraint in a manner allowing said clip to move toward a closed, loop-shaped configuration and secure said material portions therein.
A method for connecting portions of material, at least one portion comprising tissue, the method comprising:
- drawing multiple portions of material, at least one of which comprises tissue, together with a tissue connector assembly having a clip restrained in an open position with a restraint;
- lessening a bias applied on said clip by said restraint to allow said clip to move toward a closed, loop-shaped configuration and secure said material portions therein;
- wherein said tissue connector assembly is inserted into said multiple portions of material with a needle;
- and
- manipulating a portion of said tissue connector assembly adjacent said needle to both lessen the bias applied by said restraint and release said needle from said clip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.