Verres needle suturing kit

Claim 1

A needle assembly kit for passing a piece of suture material into a surgical site, said kit comprising: a needle assembly including: a hollow, cylindrical sheath terminating in a sharp cutting edge for piercing external body tissue of a patient; and a spring loaded, hollow, gas introducing probe disposed inside said sheath and having a cylindrical outer surface, a blunt free end, a longitudinal channel formed in said probe, and an opening formed in said surface proximate said blunt free end and in communication with said channel so as to permit the passage of gas through said channel, said probe being operative to move between a first, extended position wherein said blunt tip projects from said sheath to prevent said cutting edge from cutting internal body tissue of said patient to a second, retracted position wherein said blunt tip is substantially disposed inside said sheath so as to permit said cutting edge to penetrate said tissue, said probe being biased into said first position and operative to move from said first to said second position as the needle assembly penetrates into a body cavity of said patient and: an angled guide connecting said channel and said opening, said guide tapering in a direction toward said opening so as, to guide an end of a piece of suture material which is treaded through said channel out of said opening for subsequent capture by a suture snare; and a snare assembly comprising: an elongated stylet having a sharpened point at one end; a cannula including a generally tubular passage configured to surround at least a portion of the length of the stylet so that the sharpened point projects therefrom, said cannula being further configured to lockably engage the stylet when it is disposed in the tubular passage; and a snare shaft comprising a generally elongated shaft configured to fit into the tubular passage of the cannula and having a loop of a resilient material at one end thereof, said loop normally being of a diameter greater than the diameter of the tubular passage, but being capable of being compressed into a shape which fits into the tubular passage, said snare shaft further including a collar portion surrounding a portion of the length of said shaft so as to be slidable therealong, said collar portion configured to lockably engage the cannula.

Claim 10

A method for suturing tissue at a surgical site comprising the steps of: positioning a needle assembly adjacent the surgical site, the needle assembly having a hollow, cylindrical sheath terminating in a sharp cutting edge for piercing the tissue of a patient and a spring loaded hollow, probe disposed inside said sheath, said probe terminating in a free end and including a cylindrical outer surface, a longitudinal channel formed in said probe, an opening on said surface proximate said free end, and an angled guide connecting said channel and said opening, and said guide being angled in a direction toward said free end, said probe being movable from a first, extended position wherein said free end projects from said sheath, to a second, retracted position wherein said free end is substantially disposed inside said sheath, said probe being spring biased to said first position; placing said needle assembly on first tissue adjacent said site such that the closed end of the sheath is in contact therewith; exerting sufficient force to move said sheath into its retracted position, thereby permitting said sharp cutting edge to penetrate said first tissue to a desired depth; allowing said sheath to move back into its second, extended position; threading a length of suture material through said channel, said guide and out said opening such that an end of said suture material projects therethrough; positioning a trocar at second tissue adjacent said surgical site and penetrating said tissue to said desired depth with said trocar; introducing a surgical snare through said trocar until said snare is disposed proximate said free end of the suture material; capturing said end of said piece of suture material in said snare; withdrawing said captured end of said piece of suture material through said second tissue; withdrawing said needle assembly from said first tissue; and tying a knot in the piece of suture material by using said free end thereof.

Claim 11

A method for suturing tissue at a surgical site comprising the steps of: positioning a needle assembly adjacent the surgical site, the needle assembly having a hollow, cylindrical sheath terminating in a sharp cutting edge for piercing the tissue of a patient and a spring loaded hollow, probe disposed inside said sheath, said probe terminating in a free end and including a cylindrical outer surface, a longitudinal channel formed in said probe, an opening on said surface proximate said free end, and an angled guide connecting said channel and said opening, and said guide being angled in a direction toward said free end, said probe being movable from a first, extended position wherein said free end projects from said sheath, to a second, retracted position wherein said free end is substantially disposed inside said sheath, said probe being spring biased to said first position; placing said needle assembly on first tissue adjacent said site such that the closed end of the sheath is in contact therewith; exerting sufficient force to move said sheath into its retracted position, thereby permitting said sharp cutting edge to penetrate said first tissue to a desired depth; allowing said sheath to move back into its second, extended position; threading a length of suture material through said channel, said guide and out said opening such that an end of said suture material projects therethrough; positioning a trocar at second tissue adjacent said surgical site and penetrating said tissue to said desired depth with said trocar; introducing a surgical snare through said trocar until said snare is disposed proximate said free end of the suture material; capturing said end of said piece of suture material in said snare; withdrawing said captured end of said piece of suture material through said second tissue; withdrawing said needle assembly from said first tissue; and tying a knot in the piece of suture material by using said free end thereof.