Endoscopic stitching devices

An endoscopic stitching device, comprising:

• a handle assembly including a housing;
• an elongate shaft supported by and extending from the housing;
• an end effector supported on a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including a neck assembly configured and adapted for articulation between a substantially linear configuration and an off-axis configuration, and a pair of juxtaposed jaws pivotally associated with one another, wherein each jaw defines a suture needle receiving recess formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof, and wherein the jaws are rotatably supported on the end effector for selective rotation about a longitudinal axis thereof when the end effector is in the substantially linear configuration and in the off-axis configuration;
• an articulation assembly supported on the housing and actuatable to articulate the end effector, the articulation assembly including:
• an articulation knob supported on the housing of the handle assembly;
• an articulation sleeve operatively connected to the articulation knob and including a pair of oppositely pitched outer helical threads;
• a pair of articulation collars threadably connected to respective helical threads of the pair of oppositely pitched outer helical threads and configured to permit axial translation and inhibit rotation thereof;
• and
• a pair of articulation cables secured to respective articulation collars of the pair of articulation collars, wherein each articulation cable includes a first end secured to the respective articulation collar and a second end secured at a location distal of the neck assembly, and wherein the articulation cables are disposed on opposed sides of a center drive rod assembly, wherein actuation of the articulation assembly results in articulation of the end effector between the linear configuration and the off axis configuration;
• and
• a rotation assembly supported on the housing, the rotation assembly being configured to transmit an actuation from the handle assembly through the elongate shaft to effectuate rotation of the jaws.

An endoscopic stitching device, comprising:

• a handle assembly;
• an elongate shaft supported by and extending from the handle assembly;
• an end effector supported on a distal end of the elongate shaft, the end effector including a neck assembly configured and adapted for articulation between a substantially linear configuration and an off-axis configuration and a pair of juxtaposed jaws pivotally associated with one another, wherein each jaw defines a suture needle receiving recess formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof;
• and
• an articulation assembly supported on the handle assembly and actuatable to articulate the end effector, the articulation assembly including an articulation knob supported on a housing of the handle assembly, an articulation sleeve operatively connected to the articulation knob and including a pair of oppositely pitched outer helical threads, a pair of articulation collars threadably connected to respective helical threads of the pair of oppositely pitched outer helical threads and configured to permit axial translation and inhibit rotation thereof, and a pair of articulation cables secured to respective articulation collars of the pair of articulation collars;
• wherein each articulation cable includes a first end secured to the respective articulation collar and a second end secured at a location distal of the neck assembly, and wherein the articulation cables are disposed on opposed sides of a center drive rod assembly;
• wherein actuation of the articulation assembly results in articulation of the end effector between the substantially linear configuration and the off-axis configuration.