Surgical suturing instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11266399-B2
Application number	US-201916454113-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 27, 2019
Priority date	Feb 23, 2017
Publication date	Mar 8, 2022
Grant date	Mar 8, 2022

Abstract

A surgical suturing instrument includes first and second jaw members each defining a hole for detachable receipt of opposite ends of a curved needle. The first jaw member is rotatable relative to the second jaw member to move and transfer the curved needle between the jaw members. A first elongate locking element is slidable within the first jaw member between non-locking and locking positions. When the first elongate locking element is in the locking position and the curved needle is disposed within the hole of the first jaw member, a portion of the first elongate locking element is received in a notch defined in an end of the curved needle to selectively secure the curved needle to the first jaw member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surgical suturing instrument, comprising:
a handle assembly;
a shaft extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector including:
a first jaw member coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft, the first jaw member defining a hole and a longitudinally-extending groove in communication with the hole, the hole configured for detachable receipt of a curved needle; and
a second jaw member coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft and defining a hole configured for detachable receipt of the curved needle; and
a first elongate locking element having a distal end portion slidably received in the groove, wherein the first elongate locking element is configured to move between a proximal, non-locking position in which the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element is disposed proximally of the hole of the first jaw member, and a distal, locking position in which the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element is disposed within the hole of the first jaw member for locking the curved needle to the first jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is configured to rotate relative to the second jaw member and the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

2. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the second jaw member defines a longitudinally-extending groove in communication with the hole of the second jaw member.

3. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 2 , further comprising a second elongate locking element having a distal end portion slidably received in the groove of the second jaw member, wherein the second elongate locking element is configured to move between:
a proximal, non-locking position in which the distal end portion of the second elongate locking element is disposed proximally of the hole of the second jaw member for releasing the curved needle; and
a distal, locking position in which the distal end portion of the second elongate locking element is disposed within the hole of the second jaw member for locking the curved needle to the second jaw member.

4. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the hole of the first jaw member defines an axis that is perpendicular to an axis defined by the groove.

5. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a curved needle, wherein the curved needle is configured for detachable receipt in the hole of each of the first and second jaw members.

6. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 5 , wherein the curved needle has a first end defining a first notch configured for receiving the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element when the first end is in the hole of the first jaw member.

7. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 6 , wherein the curved needle has a second end defining a second notch.

8. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a bearing assembly including:
an outer race; and
an inner race supported in the outer race, wherein the first elongate locking element has a proximal end portion coupled to the outer race or the inner race.

9. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 8 , further comprising a push rod coupled to the other of the outer race or the inner race for moving the bearing assembly and the first elongate locking element between the proximal and distal positions.

10. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the end effector includes an outer body portion rotationally coupled to the distal end portion of the shaft, the first jaw member fixed to and extending from the outer body portion.

11. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 10 , wherein the end effector includes an inner body portion disposed within the outer body portion, the second jaw member coupled to a distal end portion of the inner body portion.

12. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 11 , further comprising an actuation bar operably coupled to the handle assembly and configured to translate within the shaft in response to an actuation of the handle assembly, wherein the outer body portion defines a cam slot having a portion of the actuation bar received therein such that translation of the actuation bar rotates the outer body portion and the first jaw member relative to the inner body portion and the second jaw member.

13. A surgical suturing instrument, comprising:
a handle assembly including a first trigger;
a shaft extending distally from the handle assembly and defining a longitudinal axis;
an end effector including:
a tubular outer body portion rotatably coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft;
a first jaw member extending distally from the outer body portion, the first jaw member defining a hole configured for detachable receipt of a curved needle; and
a second jaw member coupled to a distal end portion of the shaft and defining a hole configured for detachable receipt of the curved needle; and

a first elongate locking element having a proximal end portion coupled to the first trigger, and a distal end portion, wherein the first elongate locking element is configured to move between a proximal, non-locking position in which the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element is disposed proximally of the hole of the first jaw member, and a distal, locking position in which the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element is disposed within the hole of the first jaw member for locking the curved needle to the first jaw member, wherein the first jaw member is configured to rotate with the outer body portion and relative to the second jaw member and the shaft about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.

14. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 13 , wherein the first jaw member defines a longitudinally-extending groove in communication with the hole of the first jaw member, the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element slidably disposed in the groove.

15. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 13 , further comprising a second elongate locking element having a distal end portion slidably received in the second jaw member, wherein the second elongate locking element is configured to move between:
a proximal, non-locking position in which the distal end portion of the second elongate locking element is disposed proximally of the hole of the second jaw member for releasing the curved needle; and
a distal, locking position in which the distal end portion of the second elongate locking element is disposed within the hole of the second jaw member for locking the curved needle to the second jaw member.

16. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 13 , further comprising a curved needle, wherein the curved needle has a first end defining a first notch configured for receiving the distal end portion of the first elongate locking element when the first end is in the hole of the first jaw member.

17. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 16 , wherein the curved needle has a second end defining a second notch.

18. The surgical suturing instrument according to claim 13 , further comprising:
a push rod having a proximal end portion coupled to the first trigger and configured to translate in response to an actuation of the first trigger; and
a bearing assembly disposed within the shaft and including:
an outer race; and
an inner race supported in the outer race, wherein the proximal end portion of the first e

Assignees

• Covidien Lp

Inventors

• Aravalli Avvln Srinivasa Murthy
• Malkowski Jaroslaw T
• Holsten Henry E

Classifications

• A61B34/37

  Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A61B17/0469 Primary

  Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery · CPC title

• A61B2017/0608

  J-shaped · CPC title

• A61B17/06066

  Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations · CPC title

• A61B17/0625

  the needle being specially adapted to interact with the manipulator, e.g. being ridged to snap fit in a hole of the manipulator (A61B17/06109 takes precedence) · CPC title