Patent ID: 7947053

Claim:
A suturing device comprising: a body member having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis positioned between said proximal and distal ends, said body member comprising a slide and a trigger slide; a tip assembly attached to said distal end of said body member and comprising: a hollow sheath having an outer wall and a distal end, and a window in the outer wall proximate to said distal end; a pushrod housed in said hollow sheath, said pushrod being in mechanical communication with said slide and moveable along said longitudinal axis; and a heating element sheath containing a heating element, said heating element sheath positioned exterior to said hollow sheath and adjacent to the outer wall of said hollow sheath, said heating element in mechanical and electrical communication with said trigger slide, said heating element moveable within said heating element sheath and along said longitudinal axis and exterior to said hollow sheath over said window; circuitry in electrical communication between said trigger slide and said heating element, wherein said trigger slide activates said circuitry to heat said heating element and moves said movable heating element along said longitudinal axis and over said window to contact a portion of a suture exiting said window and thereby create a bloom of suture material.