Patent ID: 6562052
Filing Date: 2003-05-13
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
A suturing apparatus, comprising:an elongate body; first and second arms, each of said arms having a suture mounting portion which mounts an end portion of a suture, said arms being mounted on the elongate body such that said suture mounting portions are movable away from said body to a first position and towards said body to a second position; first and second needles, each of said needles having a distal end, and being mounted such that the distal end of the needle is movable (i) in a proximal to distal direction from a position adjacent said elongate body to a position spaced outwardly from said body and (ii) towards the suture mounting portion of one of the arms when in said first position, wherein the respective distal ends of the first and second needles engage respective end portions of said suture; and an actuator which drives the needles in said proximal to distal direction such that the engagement of the respective end portions of the suture is non-simultaneous.