Patent ID: 8568428

Claim:
A suture system configured to place suture in tissue, the suture system comprising: a tool comprising a head having a proximal portion housing a needle and a distal end spaced apart from the proximal portion by a throat, the needle is movable through a needle exit port formed in the proximal portion of the head to a cavity formed in the distal end of the head; and a suture assembly comprising a length of suture connected to a tubular leader, the tubular leader including: an annular wall extending between an interior surface and an exterior surface, a clasp having a first portion disposed between the interior surface and the exterior surface of the annular wall and a second portion extending out of the annular wall and adapted to secure the suture against the annular wall; wherein the tubular leader is sized to be placed in the cavity formed in the distal end of the head and the needle is configured to engage with the interior surface of the tubular leader to extract the tubular leader from the cavity and deliver it to the needle exit port.