US5921994A — Low profile intraluminal suturing device and meth…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 72 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body; a translating mechanism which translates at least one needle relative to the guide body; a rotatable sleeve disposed over at least a distal portion of the guide body, wherein the rotatable sleeve is operably attached to the guide body such that the rotatable sleeve may rotate about the guide body while substantial axial movement of the rotatable sleeve relative to the guide body is prevented.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 72 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body; a translating mechanism which translates at least one needle relative to the guide body; a rotatable sleeve disposed over at least a distal portion of the guide body, wherein the rotatable sleeve is operably attached to the guide body such that the rotatable sleeve may rotate about the guide body while substantial axial movement of the rotatable sleeve relative to the guide body is prevented.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 39 words

A suturing device as in claim 1, wherein the rotatable sleeve is a rigid cylinder having a length in the range from 30 mm to 200 mm and a diameter in the range from 3 mm to 15 mm.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 52 words

A suturing device as in claim 1, further comprising a flexible tube extending distally from the guide body, wherein the flexible tube includes a proximal end, a distal end, and a guide wire lumen extending proximally from the distal end and terminating in an exit port between the proximal and distal ends.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 44 words

A suturing device as in claim 3, wherein the flexible tube has a length in the range from about 20 cm to 40 cm, and further comprising a side port which is located at about 5 cm to 20 cm from the proximal end.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 25 words

A suturing device as in claim 4, wherein the flexible tube has an outside diameter in the range from about 2 mm to 10 mm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 31 words

A suturing device as in claim 3, wherein the flexible tube further includes a central lumen extending distally from the proximal end, the central lumen being sized to house the needle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 19 words

A suturing device as in claim 1, further comprising a stopping mechanism to selectively prevent rotation of the sleeve.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 33 words

A suturing device as in claim 7, wherein the stopping mechanism comprises a handle attached to the guide body, the handle having at least one detent for engaging a groove in the sleeve.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 20 words

A suturing device as in claim 1, further comprising at least one blood detection lumen passing through the guide body.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 25 words

A suturing device as in claim 9, further comprising a suture lumen passing through the guide body, said suture lumen housing a length of suture.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 71 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body; a translating mechanism to translate at least one needle relative to the guide body; a flexible tube having a proximal end connected to the guide body, a distal end, and a guide wire lumen initiating at the distal end and terminating in a guide wire exit port between the proximal end and the distal end; and a sleeve rotatably disposed about the guide body.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 71 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body; a translating mechanism to translate at least one needle relative to the guide body; a flexible tube having a proximal end connected to the guide body, a distal end, and a guide wire lumen initiating at the distal end and terminating in a guide wire exit port between the proximal end and the distal end; and a sleeve rotatably disposed about the guide body.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 30 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, further comprising a handle attached to the guide body, the handle having at least one detent for engaging a groove in the sleeve.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 42 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, wherein the flexible tube has a length in the range from about 20 cm to 40 cm, and wherein the exit port is located at about 5 cm to 20 cm from the proximal end.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 25 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, wherein the flexible tube has an outside diameter in the range from about 2 mm to 10 mm.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 24 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, wherein the flexible tube includes means for directing a proximally advanced guide wire through the exit port.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 39 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, wherein the rotatable sleeve is a rigid cylinder having a length in the range from 30 mm to 200 mm and a diameter in the range from 3 mm to 15 mm.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 20 words

A suturing device as in claim 11, further comprising at least one blood detection lumen passing through the guide body.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 25 words

A suturing device as in claim 17, further comprising a suture lumen passing through the guide body, said suture lumen housing a length of suture.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 196 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal lumen; a needle guide having a proximal end attached to the distal end of the guide body and a distal end having at least two needle guide channels, said needle guide further including a proximal region and a distal region, wherein the needle guide channels are disposed in the distal region and wherein the proximal region includes a recessed portion for receiving a section of tissue; a pair of needles; a length of suture having two ends, with each end attached to one of the needles and with at least a portion of the remaining length of suture passing through the internal lumen of the guide body; a shaft reciprocatably mounted within the guide body and carrying the needles to reciprocate the needles within the needle guide channels; and a pair of receiving channels in the guide body which are separate from the internal lumen, wherein the pair of needles are operably connected to the shaft such that reciprocation of the shaft draws the needles into the receiving channels and draws the length of suture from the internal lumen.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 196 words

A suturing device comprising: a guide body having a proximal end, a distal end, and an internal lumen; a needle guide having a proximal end attached to the distal end of the guide body and a distal end having at least two needle guide channels, said needle guide further including a proximal region and a distal region, wherein the needle guide channels are disposed in the distal region and wherein the proximal region includes a recessed portion for receiving a section of tissue; a pair of needles; a length of suture having two ends, with each end attached to one of the needles and with at least a portion of the remaining length of suture passing through the internal lumen of the guide body; a shaft reciprocatably mounted within the guide body and carrying the needles to reciprocate the needles within the needle guide channels; and a pair of receiving channels in the guide body which are separate from the internal lumen, wherein the pair of needles are operably connected to the shaft such that reciprocation of the shaft draws the needles into the receiving channels and draws the length of suture from the internal lumen.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 20 words

A suturing device as in claim 19, further comprising a blood detection lumen which is separate from the internal lumen.

Claim 24

Independent Claim 177 words

A method for suturing a puncture site in a blood vessel wall disposed at the distal end of a percutaneous tissue tract, said method comprising: introducing a suturing device having a guide body and a flexible tube distally extending from the guide body to the puncture site so that the guide body lies within the tissue tract and the flexible tube lies within the blood vessel lumen; drawing a pair of needles with a length of suture therebetween from the flexible tube through the blood vessel wall adjacent the puncture and outward through the tissue tract, wherein at least a portion of the length of suture extending between the pair of needles passes through a lumen in the guide body and is located outside the patient during the introduction step, wherein the length of suture is pulled back through the guide body lumen during the drawing step, and wherein the needles are received into receiving channels within the guide body which are separate from the lumen; and securing a loop in the suture to close the punctures.

Claim 25

Independent Claim 177 words

A method for suturing a puncture site in a blood vessel wall disposed at the distal end of a percutaneous tissue tract, said method comprising: introducing a suturing device having a guide body and a flexible tube distally extending from the guide body to the puncture site so that the guide body lies within the tissue tract and the flexible tube lies within the blood vessel lumen; drawing a pair of needles with a length of suture therebetween from the flexible tube through the blood vessel wall adjacent the puncture and outward through the tissue tract, wherein at least a portion of the length of suture extending between the pair of needles passes through a lumen in the guide body and is located outside the patient during the introduction step, wherein the length of suture is pulled back through the guide body lumen during the drawing step, and wherein the needles are received into receiving channels within the guide body which are separate from the lumen; and securing a loop in the suture to close the punctures.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as in claim 21, wherein the suturing device includes a sleeve rotatably disposed about the guide body, and further comprising rotating the sleeve relative to the guide body while introducing the guide body into the puncture site.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as in claim 21, wherein the introducing step further comprises inserting the flexible tube over a guide wire and advancing the tube over the guide wire until the guide wire exits an exit port in the flexible tube.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as in claim 23, further comprising withdrawing the guide wire from the puncture site prior to introducing the guide body into the tissue tract.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as in claim 21, further comprising positioning the suturing device by observing blood within a marker lumen in the guide body having a side port between the flexible tube and the distal end of the guide body.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 21 words

A method as in claim 21, further comprising withdrawing the suturing device from the puncture site prior to securing the loop.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 17 words

A method as in claim 21, further comprising inhibiting deployment of the needle during the introducing step.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-07-12	2003-01-11	2003-07-13	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-07-12	2007-01-11	2007-07-13	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-07-12	2011-01-11	2011-07-13	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Low profile intraluminal suturing device and method

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