Composite suture needles having rotatable sections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11234691-B2
Application number	US-201916539086-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 13, 2019
Priority date	Aug 13, 2019
Publication date	Feb 1, 2022
Grant date	Feb 1, 2022

Abstract

A reconfigurable suture needle includes an elongated body having a curved proximal section and a curved distal section. A joint interconnects a distal end of the curved proximal section and a proximal end of the curved distal section. The joint enables the curved proximal section and the curved distal section to rotate relative to one another between a first configuration having a higher profile and a second configuration having a lower profile. Each of the curved proximal and distal sections of the elongated body defines about one-quarter of a circle. The elongated body has a semi-circular shape when in the first configuration and a wave shape when in the second configuration. The elongated body is rotated into the smaller profile for passing through a cannula and, after passing through the cannula, rotated back into the higher profile for use as a suturing needle.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reconfigurable suture needle comprising:
an elongated body having a curved proximal section with a suture attachment end and a curved distal section with a tissue penetrating end;
a joint interconnecting a distal end of said curved proximal section and a proximal end of said curved distal section, wherein said joint enables said curved proximal section and said curved distal section to rotate relative to one another about an axis that passes through said joint and opposing ends of said curved proximal and distal sections that are immediately adjacent to said joint for transforming said elongated body between a first configuration having a higher profile and a second configuration having a lower profile.

2. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said elongated body of said suture needle has a greater height when in the first configuration and a smaller height when in the second configuration.

3. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 2 , wherein each of said curved proximal and distal sections of said elongated body defines about one-quarter (¼) of a circle.

4. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 3 , wherein said elongated body of said reconfigurable suture needle has a semi-circular shape when in the first configuration and a sine wave shape when in the second configuration.

5. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said joint comprises a male/female connector that couples the distal end of said curved proximal section with the proximal end of said curved distal section.

6. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said joint comprises a post projecting from one of said curved proximal and distal sections and a post opening formed in the other one of said curved proximal and distal sections.

7. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 5 , wherein said joint comprises:
a connector having a proximal face and a distal face;
a first post extending proximally from the proximal face of said connector;
a second post extending distally from the distal face of said connector;
said curved proximal section of said elongated body having a distal end face with a first post opening that seats said first post;
said curved distal section of said elongated body having a proximal end face with a second post opening that seats said second post;
wherein said curved proximal and distal sections are rotatable relative to one another via said joint.

8. A method of passing said reconfigurable suture needle of claim 1 through a cannula comprising:
positioning said elongated body of said reconfigurable suture needle adjacent said cannula having an elongated conduit defining an inner diameter;
rotating said curved proximal and distal sections of said elongated body into the second configuration having the lower profile so that said elongated body has a height that is less than or equal to the inner diameter of said elongated conduit of said cannula;
after the rotating step, passing said elongated body through said elongated conduit of said cannula;
after passing said elongated body through said elongated conduit of said cannula, removing said elongated body from said cannula and again rotating said curved proximal and distal sections of said elongated body into the first configuration having the higher profile so that said elongated body has a height that is greater than the inner diameter of said elongated conduit of said cannula.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein said elongated body has a semi-circular shape in the first configuration having the higher profile and a sine wave shape in the second configuration having the lower profile.

10. A reconfigurable suture needle having sections rotatable about a joint comprising:
an elongated body having a curved proximal section and a curved distal section;
said joint interconnecting a distal end of said curved proximal section and a proximal end of said curved distal section for enabling said curved proximal and distal sections to rotate relative to one another between a first configuration having a higher profile and a second configuration having a lower profile;
wherein said elongated body has a semi-circular shape when in the first configuration and a wave shape when in the second configuration.

11. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the wave shape of said elongated body when in the second configuration comprises a sine wave shape.

12. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said elongated body has a greater height when in the first configuration and a smaller height when in the second configuration.

13. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 10 , wherein said joint comprises a male/female connector that couples a distal end of said curved proximal section with a proximal end of said curved distal section.

14. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said joint comprises a post projecting distally from the distal end of said curved proximal section and a female opening formed in the proximal end of said curved distal section that receives said post for rotatably coupling said curved proximal section with said curved distal section.

15. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 13 , wherein said joint comprises:
a connector having a proximal face and a distal face;
a first post extending proximally from the proximal face of said connector;
a second post extending distally from the distal face of said connector;
said curved proximal section of said elongated body having a distal end face with a first female opening that seats said first post;
said curved distal section of said elongated body having a proximal end face with a second female opening that seats said second post.

16. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 10 , further comprising:
said curved proximal section having a proximal end with a suture attachment end;
said curved distal section having a distal end with a tissue penetrating end.

17. A reconfigurable suture needle comprising:
an elongated body having a curved proximal section with a suture attachment end and a curved distal section with a tissue penetrating end;
a joint interconnecting a distal end of said curved proximal section and a proximal end of said curved distal section, wherein said joint enables said curved proximal section and said curved distal section to rotate relative to one another for transforming said elongated body between a first configuration having a higher profile and a second configuration having a lower profile;
a suture thread secured to the suture attachment end of said curved proximal section.

18. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 17 , wherein said elongated body of said reconfigurable suture needle has a semi-circular shape when in the first configuration and a wave shape when in the second configuration.

19. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 18 , wherein the wave shape of said elongated body when in the second configuration comprises a sine wave shape.

20. The reconfigurable suture needle as claimed in claim 17 , wherein each of said curved proximal and distal sections of said elongated body defines about one-quarter (¼) of a circle.

Assignees

• Ethicon Inc

Inventors

• Vailhe Christophe
• Tannhauser Robert J
• Kriksunov Leo B

Classifications

• A61B2090/0811

  for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument · CPC title

• A61B17/3478

  Endoscopic needles, e.g. for infusion (biopsy needles A61B10/0233; catheters with injection needles A61M25/0067) · CPC title

• A61B2017/06047

  located at the middle of the needle · CPC title

• A61B2017/061

  hollow or tubular · CPC title

• A61B2017/00526

  Methods of manufacturing · CPC title