Patent ID: 11918204
Assignee: LSI SOLUTIONS, INC.
Field: Medical technology (Instruments)
Classification: CPC A | IPC A

Claim 0:
1. A suturing device for minimally invasive surgery, comprising:
a housing;
an actuator coupled to a first portion of the housing such that the actuator is displaceable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position;
a shaft extending from a proximal end to a distal end along a shaft axis, wherein the proximal end of the shaft is coupled to a second portion of the housing;
a head portion extending along the shaft axis from a proximal end to a distal end, the proximal end of the head portion is coupled to the distal end of the shaft, wherein a notch is disposed along the head portion between the proximal end of the head portion and the distal end of the head portion, the notch extending from a distal end to a proximal end and defining a tissue bite area that is configured to receive a portion of tissue that is to be sutured, the head portion comprising a first ferrule holder defined by a first channel formed along a first portion of the head portion, the first channel extending along a first channel axis from a first end to a second end, wherein the first channel axis is not parallel to the shaft axis, wherein the first end of the first channel is disposed at or adjacent to the distal end of the notch, and wherein the first channel is configured to receive a first ferrule secured to a first portion of suture;
an actuator rod coupled to a portion of the actuator, wherein as the actuator is displaced from the first actuator position to the second actuator position, a distal end of the actuator rod is displaced from a first rod position to a second rod position, and wherein as the actuator is displaced from the second actuator position to the first actuator position, the distal end of the actuator rod is displaced from the second rod position to the first rod position; and
a needle coupled to the distal end of the actuator rod, the needle comprising a first arm extending from a first end to a second end along a first arcuate path, the second end of the first arm having a first ferrule-engaging tip, the needle being pivotable about a pivot axis such that when the actuator rod displaces from the first rod position to the second rod position, the needle rotates from a retracted position to an engaged position such that the first ferrule-engaging tip displaces through at least a portion of the tissue bite area,
wherein in the retracted position, the first ferrule-engaging tip is disposed remote from the first ferrule holder, and in the engaged position, the first ferrule-engaging tip is disposed adjacent to or in contact with the first ferrule holder such that the first ferrule-engaging tip is configured to operatively engage the first ferrule configured to be held in the first ferrule holder.