Patent ID: 8623032

Claim:
A suturing apparatus, comprising: a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, a lumen and a distal end; a first jaw and a second jaw located at the distal end of the tubular housing, one of the jaws moveable relative to the other; a puncturing projection substantially positioned and completely slideable within the lumen of the tubular housing and with a sharpened tip pointing along its longitudinal axis in a substantially straight first stressed position, having a distal portion and carrying a suture, the puncturing projection movable, while the jaws are closed around tissue, between the first position wherein the distal portion of the puncturing projection is substantially contained within an area between the first jaw and the second jaw and a substantially curved second resting position wherein the distal portion of the puncturing projection extends through and beyond an opening in the first jaw along a path which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing; wherein the opening in the first jaw is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tubular housing, wherein the puncturing projection comprises a wire having a diameter of about 0.04 inches and a slot having a length of about 0.12 inches disposed in the distal portion for carrying the suture, and wherein in the substantially curved second resting position, the puncturing projection has a radius of curvature that is at least three times the diameter of the wire.