US 9,168,037 B2Granted

Laparoscopic suture device with asynchronous in-line needle movement

AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.

InventorsJames A. Woodard, Jr., Frederick E. Shelton, IV, Jason R. Lesko, Chester O. Baxter, III

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus comprises a shaft, a needle throwing arm, and a needle receiving arm. The arms are movable asynchronously along planes that are substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis defined by the shaft. The arms selectively engage a surgical needle, such that the throwing arm may pass the surgical needle through tissue for receipt by the receiving arm, and the receiving arm may then pass the surgical needle back to the throwing arm for additional stitching. The arms may pivot about a common pivot. Such versions may include a single actuator for both arms or separate actuators for the arms. The arms may also pivot about their own respective axles, which may facilitate a forward reset motion for a needle, allowing the needle to continue travelling along a circular path in a single direction to create several stitches. The apparatus may also convert reciprocating movement of actuators into rotational motion.

Claims6

Dependent claims

An apparatus, comprising:

(a) a shaft, wherein the shaft defines a longitudinal axis;
and
(b) an end effector, wherein the end effector comprises:
(i) a needle throwing arm, wherein the needle throwing arm is operable to selectively engage a surgical needle, wherein the needle throwing arm is movable along a plane that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft,
(ii) a needle receiving arm, wherein the needle receiving arm is operable to selectively engage a surgical needle transferred from the needle throwing arm, wherein the needle receiving arm is movable along a plane that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft,
(iii) a first axle, wherein the needle throwing arm is pivotable about the first axle, and
(iv) a second axle, wherein the needle receiving arm is pivotable about the second axle,
wherein the first axle is separate from the second axle such that a gap is defined between the first axle and the second axle,
wherein the end effector is operable to move the needle throwing arm and the needle receiving arm in an asynchronous fashion to repeatedly pass a surgical needle from the needle throwing arm to the needle receiving arm and back to the needle throwing arm along a circular path, wherein the circular path defines a plane that is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the shaft such that the end effector is operable to move the surgical needle through at least one full revolution along the circular path.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/156,420Filed 9 Jun 2011 · us provisional application
Priority: 17 Jun 2010
Published: US 2011/0313433 A122 Dec 2011
Granted: 27 Oct 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

A61B 17/062
Needles ; Sutures; Needle-suture combinations; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: needle manipulators
A61B 17/0469
For suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g.…
A61B 17/0482
For suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials: needle or suture guides
A61B 2017/2936
Camming or guiding means: pins in guiding slots