Suture delivery tools for endoscopic and robot-assisted surgery and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9955962-B2
Application number	US-201113814171-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 10, 2011
Priority date	Jun 11, 2010
Publication date	May 1, 2018
Grant date	May 1, 2018

Abstract

A suture delivery tool releasably secures a self-retaining suture to permit delivery of the self-retaining suture to a surgical site in a patient through an access port. Suture delivery tools are disclosed suitable for manual operation and operation using robotically-assisted surgical systems. In some embodiments, a suture spool is part of a cartridge which is releasably attached to the suture delivery tool. Cartridges is, in some embodiments, replaced after deployment of the self-retaining suture and different cartridges having different self-retaining suture are, in some embodiments, selected and attached to the suture delivery tool as required for a procedure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A suture dispenser, comprising:
a self-retaining suture having an elongated suture body with a first segment having a first plurality of retainers disposed proximally to a first end, and a second segment having a second plurality of retainers disposed proximally to a second end and first and second needles disposed at the first and second ends respectively;
an elongated shaft;
a spool positioned at a distal end of the elongated shaft, the spool comprising first and second needle docks adjacent to each other at a distal end thereof, the self-retaining suture being releasably secured to the spool and the first and second needles being releasably secured to one of the first and second needle docks respectively; and
an actuator attached to a proximal end of the elongated shaft by which the dispenser is manipulated to introduce the spool and distal end of the elongated shaft through an access port into a surgical site within a patient.

2. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the spool comprises a plurality of suture containment regions to segregate the retainers of the first segment from the retainers of the second segment.

3. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the spool is releasably coupled to the distal end of the elongated shaft such that the spool is adapted to be replaced by a second spool.

4. The dispenser of claim 1 , wherein:
the dispenser is provided with a machine-readable code to identify a characteristic of the self-retaining suture.

5. The suture dispenser of claim 1 wherein:
said spool has a diameter about 12 mm or less.

6. The suture dispenser of claim 1 in combination with a telesurgical system.

7. The suture dispenser of claim 1 wherein said dispenser can accept and dispense a plurality of spools.

8. A suture dispenser, comprising:
a self-retaining suture having an elongated suture body with a first segment having a plurality of retainers disposed proximally to a first end, and a second segment having a plurality of retainers disposed proximally to a second end and first and second needles disposed at the first and second ends respectively;
an endoscopic tool comprising an elongated tube;
a suture cartridge positioned within a distal end of the elongated tube, the suture cartridge comprising first and second needle docks at a distal end thereof, the self-retaining suture being releasably secured to the suture cartridge and the first and second needles being releasably secured to one of the first and second needle docks respectively; and
an interface attached to a proximal end of the elongated shaft by which the dispenser is manipulated to introduce the distal end of the elongated shaft through an access port into a surgical site within a patient.

Assignees

• Avelar Rui
• Drubetsky Lev
• Naimagon Alexander
• Ethicon Inc
• Ethicon Llc

Inventors

• Avelar Rui
• Drubetsky Lev
• Naimagon Alexander

Classifications

• A61B34/35

  for telesurgery · CPC title

• A61B2017/0417

  T-fasteners · CPC title

• A61B2017/06142

  having needle- or suture- retaining members, e.g. holding tabs or needle parks · CPC title

• A61B17/04 Primary

  for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials · CPC title

• A61B17/06166 Primary

  Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M) · CPC title