Patent ID: 7204841
Filing Date: 2007-04-17
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. A suturing device comprising: a) an inner tubular member having an arcuate needle carrying channel formed at a distal end thereof carrying a pair of arcuate suture needles in back-to-back orientation; b) a central tubular member having a distal driving stem extending into the needle carrying channel of the inner tubular member and positioned between the pair of suture needles for sequentially driving the suture needles from the needle carrying channel upon rotation of the central tubular member relative to the inner tubular member; c) an outer tubular member having a pair of diametrically opposed tissue receiving recesses formed in a distal end of the tube wall and an arcuate needle reception disposed between the tissue receiving recesses and configured for receiving the arcuate suture needles after the suture needles have been sequentially driven from the arcuate channel of the inner tubular member by the driving stem of the central tubular member through tissue gathered within the tissue receiving recesses; and d) a vascular dilator having an elongated body portion and a tapered distal tip portion, the elongated body portion being slidably disposed within the inner tubular member and having an annular groove formed therein adjacent to the distal tip portion, the distal tip portion extending beyond the distal end of the inner tubular member for positioning the suturing device at an incision in the wall of a blood vessel, the dilator mounted for movement between an extended position in which the annular groove is exposed allowing tissue to prolapse therein so as to provide tactile feedback and a retracted position in which the prolapsed tissue within the annular groove is urged in a proximal direction and gathered within the tissue receiving recesses of the outer tubular member.