Laparascopic suturing device and suture needles

Claim 1

A surgical suturing tool, comprising: a) a suture needle comprising an elongated essentially straight shaft which traverses an essentially linear path of travel and having a first end tapered to a point, a second end, and a medial portion between the first end and second end, said medial portion having an axially aligned groove leading to a blind hole into which a surgical suture can be fixedly secured, said groove oriented to lead the surgical suture out of a side surface of the suture needle at an angle downward toward the proximal end of the needle opposite the point; and b) a suture needle holder comprising: an elongated tube having a proximal end and a distal end and having an outer wall extending there between enclosing an internal cavity; the distal end having a rounded surface with an external groove of sufficient depth to retain a suture therein; a pair of wings adjacent the distal end, each wing being pivotable from within the tube at a first end and having a second end which is radially extensible, the second end of said wing having a blind hole for removably receiving said suture needle in said blind hole, said needle being aligned substantially parallel with said elongated tube; a control element mounted on the proximal end of the tube, operatively connected to said pair of wings for pivoting purposes; and the tube further including a flushing port mounted near the proximal end, said flushing port being in fluid communication with the distal end.

Claim 9

A method for surgically suturing a wound, comprising the steps of: fastening two swaged suture needles to blind holes in wings of a suture needle holder such that said needles will follow an essentially linear path of travel; attaching a suture to a blind hole along a side of each needle, said blind hole having a groove leading thereto, said groove oriented to lead the surgical suture out of a side surface of each suture needle at an angle downward toward a proximal end of each needle opposite the point of each needle; placing the suture within a suture retaining groove; tensioning the suture; inserting the suture needle holder into a wound to be sutured; extending the suture needle away from the suture needle holder; withdrawing the suture needle holder outwardly such that the needle penetrates the tissue to be sutured by the suture needle; disengaging the suture needle from the suture needle holder; pulling the suture needle and suture through the tissue to be sutured substantially parallel to said needle holder; removing the suture needle holder from the patient, and suturing the patient.

Claim 10

A method for surgically suturing a wound, comprising the steps of: fastening two swaged suture needles to blind holes in wings of a suture needle holder such that said needles will follow an essentially linear path of travel; attaching a suture to a blind hole along a side of each needle, said blind hole having a groove leading thereto, said groove oriented to lead the surgical suture out of a side surface of each suture needle at an angle downward toward a proximal end of each needle opposite the point of each needle; placing the suture within a suture retaining groove; tensioning the suture; inserting the suture needle holder into a wound to be sutured; extending the suture needle away from the suture needle holder; withdrawing the suture needle holder outwardly such that the needle penetrates the tissue to be sutured by the suture needle; disengaging the suture needle from the suture needle holder; pulling the suture needle and suture through the tissue to be sutured substantially parallel to said needle holder; removing the suture needle holder from the patient, and suturing the patient.