Patent EP0647430A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0647430A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Instrument for closing trocar puncture wounds
Assignee: United States Surgical Corp
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Filing: 1994-09-26
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2014-09-26
Abstract
Abstract A surgical instrument 10 for applying sutures through body tissue including a handle assembly, an elongated housing 16 removably mounted to said handle assembly and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, at least one needle carrier 24, 26 operatively mounted in the distal end portion and movable between a retracted position and a deployed position, and a needle 12, 14 releasably retained in the needle carrier member. The instrument may also include a retaining mechanism 68, 70, 72, adapted to retain the at least one needle carrier in the partially deployed position.
Inventors
- 👤 Kenneth H. Whitfield
- 👤 Ian M. Scott
- 👤 Michael Castro
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 15:37
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/0469; A61B17/0057; A61B17/0482; A61B2017/0046; A61B2017/00637; A61B2017/00646; A61B2017/00663; A61B2017/047; A61B2017/0472; A61B2017/0496; A61B17/06; A61B2017/06057
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
114 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue, which comprises: (a) an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, (b) at least one needle carrier member operatively mounted in said distal end portion and movable between at least an initial position, a partially deployed position and a fully deployed position; (c) a needle releasably retained in said at least one needle carrier; (d) a predetermined length of suture material having one end thereof affixed to said needle; and (e) a retaining mechanism operatively associated with said at least one needle carrier member, said retaining mechanism being adapted to retain said at least one needle carrier in said partially deployed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
88 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 1, wherein said retaining mechanism includes a latch member mounted on said elongate body and a post member operatively associated with said at least one needle carrier member and movable in relation to said latch member, whereby upon movement of said at least one needle carrier member to said partially deployed position, said post member engages said latch member and is releasably retained therein such that said at least one needle carrier member is releasably retained in said partially deployed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 1 or 2, further comprising an actuator member operatively associated with said at least one needle carrier member and said retaining mechanism, said actuator member being movable between at least a first position and a second position to move said at least one needle carrier member into said initial position, said partially deployed position and said fully deployed position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said actuator member is biased toward said first position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
A surgical instrument as recited in any one of the preceeding claims, further comprising a needle retaining mechanism disposed in said elongate body and adapted to retain said needle therein when said at least one needle carrier member is in said deployed position.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
38 words
A surgical instrument recited in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a needle skewing mechanism movable from a first position to a second position to change the alignment of said needle relative to said retaining member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 6, wherein said needle skewing mechanism includes at least one arm member moveable between at least an initial position and a final position, said arm member being operatively associated with said actuator member, whereby upon movement of said actuator member from said first position to said second position said arm member is moved from said initial position to said final position.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A surgical instrument as recited in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a deployment indicator adapted to provide an indication to an operator of said instrument when said at least one needle carrier member is in said second position.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
100 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue, which comprises: (a) an elongate body having a proximal portion and a distal portion; (b) at least one needle carrier member operatively associated with said distal portion of said body portion, said at least one needle carrier member movable between at least a first position and a second position; (c) a needle member releasably retained in said at least one needle carrier member; and (d) an indicator adapted to provide an indication to an operator of said instrument when said at least one needle carrier member is in said second position.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 9, wherein said indicator is a deployment indicator and includes an illuminating member which illuminates when said at least one needle carrier member is moved to said second position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A surgical instrument as recited in claim 10, wherein said illuminating member is a light bulb connected in a series circuit with a power source, said circuit being closed when said at least one needle carrier member is in said second position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
48 words
A surgical instrument recited in any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a suture material tensioning member disposed within said elongated body for maintaining said suture material in tension during movement of said at least one needle carrier member from said retracted position to said deployed position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
94 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue, which comprises: (a) a handle assembly; (b) an elongate housing extending from said handle assembly and having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, said elongate housing being removably mounted to said handle assembly; (c) at least one needle carrier associated with said distal end portion of said elongate housing for carrying at least one needle, said needle carrier being movable between a retracted position and an extended position; and (d) at least one needle positioned on said at least one needle carrier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 13, further comprising an elongate member slidably disposed within said elongate housing and operable from said proximal end thereof to actuate said at least one needle carrier.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
42 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 14, wherein said handle assembly comprises at least one pivotable handle, said pivotable handle cooperating with said elongate member such that movement of said pivotable handle actuates said elongate member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
27 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 15, further comprising a gear associated with said pivotable handle for actuating said elongate member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
46 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 15, 16 or 17, wherein said needle carrier includes at least one arm member for holding said at least one needle, said at least one arm member releasably holding said at least one needle.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
37 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to any one of claims 13 to 17, further comprising a rotatable screw for releasably securing said elongate housing within a longitudinal bore of said handle assembly.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to any one of claims 13 to 18, wherein said handle assembly comprises a pair of flexible members for moving the needle carrier.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
70 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 19, as dependent on claim 14, wherein said elongate member includes a recess and said handle assembly further comprises a lever operatively associated with each of said flexible members and engagable with said recess to drive said elongate member wherein squeezing of said flexible members towards a longitudinal axis of said handle assembly moves said elongate member distally.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to any one of claims 13 to 20, wherein said handle assembly comprises an elongate body portion and a button protruding therefrom, said button operatively associated with said elongate member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 21, wherein said button comprises a pivotable lever having a projecting surface for engaging and driving said elongated inner member distally.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
46 words
A surgical instrument for applying sutures through body tissue according to claim 14, or any one of claims 15 to 22 as dependent on claim 14, wherein said elongate member has an elongate slot and is mounted to said handle assembly by a bayonet mount arrangement.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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