Patent ID: 9301748
Filing Date: 2016-04-05
CPC Classification: A61B

Claim Text:
1. A suture apparatus, comprising: a handle comprising a housing; an actuator comprising a longitudinal axis and first proximal and distal ends; a capture rod comprising second proximal and distal ends, said capture rod second distal end comprising suture capture means for capturing and seating a suture thereon, said suture capture means comprising a tong member, said first distal end of said actuator being engaged to said second proximal end of said capture rod to form an actuator-capture rod assembly; an ejection sleeve, said ejection sleeve being in communication with said capture rod; an elongated cannula shaft comprising third proximal and distal ends, said cannula further comprising a lumen that is configured to receive said capture rod, said ejection sleeve and said tong member therein; and capture rod retraction means for retracting said actuator-capture rod assembly from an extended position to a retracted position, said housing comprising an internal region that is configured to receive and support said capture rod retraction means, said actuator first distal end and said actuator rod second proximal end therein, wherein said capture rod retraction means is in communication with said actuator, said actuator-capture rod assembly and capture rod retraction means being positioned in said housing interior region, wherein, when an actuation force in the range of 0.5-4 lbs. is applied to said actuator proximal end in a first direction, said actuator-capture rod assembly transitions from said retracted position to said extended position, wherein said suture capture means and said ejection sleeve extend out of said cannula shaft lumen and said tong member is urged to transition from a restrained configuration in said cannula lumen to an unrestrained configuration, wherein a suture capture opening is provided by said tong and said cannula shaft, and, wherein, when a first suture is seated on said suture capture means, said ejection sleeve urges said first suture out of said cannula lumen, and wherein, when said actuation force is released, said capture rod retraction means exerts a retraction force on said actuator-capture rod assembly to transition said actuator-capture rod assembly to said retracted position, said tong member comprising an elongated portion and a distal end portion, a first end of said elongated portion being connected to said capture rod distal end, said tong member distal end being configured and oriented with respect to said elongated portion to form a suture seat at a juncture of said elongated portion and said distal end, said suture seat being configured to capture and seat said first suture thereon, said tong distal end being further configured to release and eject said first suture from said suture seat when said actuator-capture rod assembly transitions from said retracted position to said extended position.