Patent ID: 7175636

Claim:
An endoscopic suturing instrument comprising: a needle provided at a distal end of the suturing instrument for puncturing living tissue; an engaging section provided at least at a distal end of the needle for engaging thread while allowing the thread to move freely; a needle-driving mechanism to drive the needle; a loop-creating mechanism which creates a first loop in the thread by loosening the thread connected to the engaging section; a catching member to be inserted through said first loop to catch said thread disposed at the distal end of said suturing instrument body; wherein the thread caught by said catching member is freely movable, and the needle-driving mechanism and the catching member are mechanically coupled; wherein the loop-creating mechanism is also used to create a second loop with the thread by loosening the thread between the living tissue and the catching member, and a locus of movement of the needle passes through the second loop; wherein the loop-creating mechanism comprises a cam mechanism which is operable such that the thread is released from the catching member when at least a part of the needle passes through the second loop, after which the catching member is inserted through the first loop created by the loop-creating mechanism so as to catch the thread; and wherein the cam mechanism includes a cam and at least one spring member to direct the cam in a single direction.