Suture passer with tissue reinforcement positioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9687225-B2
Application number	US-201314137312-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2013
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Jun 27, 2017
Grant date	Jun 27, 2017

Abstract

The present disclosure describes a suture passer device that includes a handle, a shaft extending from the handle, a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft, and a suturing head extending from the shaft and configured to retain tissue. The handle is operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained in the suturing head. According to one aspect of the present disclosure, the suture passer device includes a quick-connect mechanism releasably connecting the shaft to the handle. According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft pivotally coupled to the first shaft, and the first shaft defines a first channel for receiving the second shaft. Methods of disassembling the suture passer device are also described.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A suture passer device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending from the handle;
a quick-connect mechanism releasably connecting the shaft to the handle;
a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft; and
a suturing head extending from the shaft and configured to retain tissue, the handle being operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained in the suturing head;
a tissue reinforcement member; and
a tissue reinforcement member holder on the suturing head for holding the tissue reinforcement member, the tissue reinforcement member holder including a slot with open sides, an open distal end and a closed proximal end, the slot configured to receive and hold the tissue reinforcement member while allowing the tissue reinforcement member to be slidably adjustable in a lateral direction through the open sides, and wherein the slot holds the tissue reinforcement member in a position such that the suture carrier advances through the tissue reinforcement member in a generally perpendicular direction.

2. The suture passer device of claim 1 wherein the quick-connect mechanism includes a bayonet mount.

3. The suture passer device of claim 2 wherein the handle defines a channel for receiving a proximal end of the shaft.

4. The suture passer device of claim 3 wherein the handle includes pins extending into the channel and the shaft defines one of a J-shaped slot and an L-shaped slot configured to receive the pins.

5. The suture passer device of claim 4 further comprising a spring that biases the shaft away from the handle to maintain engagement between the pins and the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot when the pins are inserted into the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot.

6. The suture passer device of claim 3 wherein the shaft includes pins disposed on opposite sides of the shaft and the handle defines one of a J-shaped slot and an L-shaped slot configured to receive the pins.

7. The suture passer device of claim 6 further comprising a spring that biases the shaft away from the handle to maintain engagement between the pins and the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot when the pins are inserted into the one of the J-shaped slot and the L-shaped slot.

8. The suture passer device of claim 1 wherein the shaft includes an outer shaft and an inner shaft, the outer shaft defining a channel that receives the inner shaft.

9. A suture passer device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft assembly extending from the handle, the shaft assembly including a first shaft and a second shaft pivotally coupled to the first shaft, the first shaft defining a first channel for receiving the second shaft;
a suture carrier secured to the handle and extending through the shaft assembly; and
a suturing head extending from the shaft assembly, the suturing head including a first jaw and a second jaw, the handle being operable to actuate at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw to retain tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw, the handle also being operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass a suture through tissue retained between the first and second jaws;
wherein the handle includes a first handle, a second handle, and a trigger, the suture carrier being coupled to the second handle such that applying the second handle advances the suture carrier, the trigger being coupled to the first jaw such that applying the trigger moves the first jaw toward the second jaw;
wherein the second shaft defines a slot that receives a portion of the trigger such that applying the trigger moves the second shaft distally relative to the first shaft; and
wherein the second shaft defines a second channel that cooperates with the first channel of the first shaft to define a fully enclosed channel for guiding the suture carrier.

10. The suture passer device of claim 9 wherein a distal end of the first shaft forms the second jaw and the first jaw is pivotally coupled to the first and second shafts such that moving the second shaft distally pivots the first jaw toward the second jaw.

11. The suture passer device of claim 10 wherein the handle includes a first spring that biases the second handle away from the first handle such that the suture carrier retracts when the second handle is released.

12. The suture passer device of claim 11 wherein the shaft assembly includes a second spring that biases the second shaft in a proximal direction such that the first jaw pivots away from the second jaw when the trigger is released.

13. The suture passer device of claim 12 wherein the first spring has a first spring rate and the second spring has a second spring rate that is less than the first spring rate.

14. A suture passer device comprising:
a handle;
a shaft extending from the handle;
a suturing head extending from the shaft and configured to engage tissue, the suturing head including a first jaw and a second jaw, the handle being operable to actuate at least one of the first jaw and the second jaw to retain tissue between the first jaw and the second jaw;
a suture carrier secured to the handle, extending through the shaft, and configured to pass a suture through the tissue and through the suturing head, wherein the handle also being operable to advance the suture carrier through the suturing head to pass the suture through the tissue retained between the first and second jaws;
a suture retaining mechanism configured to retain the suture at the suturing head after the suture is passed through the suturing head; and
at least one pin connection coupling the suture retaining mechanism to the suturing head; and
a tissue reinforcement member holder on the suturing head for holding a tissue reinforcement member, the tissue reinforcement member holder including a slot with open sides, the slot configured to receive and hold the tissue reinforcement member in a position such that the suture carrier advances through the tissue reinforcement member in a generally perpendicular direction; and
wherein the handle includes a first handle, a second handle, and a trigger, the suture carrier being coupled to the second handle such that applying the second handle advances the suture carrier, the trigger being coupled to the first jaw such that applying the trigger moves the first jaw toward the second jaw;
wherein the shaft assembly includes a first shaft and a second shaft pivotally coupled to the first shaft, the first shaft defining a first channel for receiving the second shaft, wherein the second shaft defines a slot that receives a portion of the trigger such that applying the trigger moves the second shaft distally relative to the first shaft; and
wherein the second shaft defines a second channel that cooperates with the first channel of the first shaft to define a fully enclosed channel for guiding the suture carrier.

15. The suture passer device of claim 14 , wherein at least a portion of the suture retaining mechanism is rotatable about the at least one pin connection.

16. The suture passer device of claim 14 , wherein the at least one pin connection includes a first pin connection and a second pin connection.

17. The suture passer device of claim 16 , wherein a distal end of the suture retaining mechanism is configured to rotate about the first pin connection.

18. The suture passer device of claim 17 , wherein a proximal end of the suture retaining mechanism is configured to translate at the second pin connection.

Assignees

• Biomet Sports Medicine Llc

Inventors

• Palese Christopher
• Stone Kevin T
• Topper Brad
• Valadez John

Classifications

• Y10T29/49815

  Disassembling · CPC title

• A61B2017/06095

  pliable · CPC title

• A61B2017/06042

  located close to needle tip · CPC title

• A61B2017/0495

  Reinforcements for suture lines · CPC title

• A61B2017/044

  with a threaded shaft, e.g. screws · CPC title