Patent ID: 8496674

Claim:
An endoscopic stitching device, comprising: a suture needle operatively associated with the device; a tool assembly defining a longitudinal axis, the tool assembly including: a pair of juxtaposed jaws pivotally associated with one another, each jaw defining a needle receiving recess formed in a tissue contacting surface thereof; a central shaft coupled to the pair of juxtaposed jaws; a selectively rotatable camming hub defining a central lumen therethrough and a helical groove formed in an outer surface thereof, the camming hub defining a first clutch; and a pair of axially translatable needle engaging blades slidably supported, one each, in a respective jaw, each blade having an advanced position wherein a distal end of the blade engages the suture needle when the suture needle is in the respective jaw to thereby secure the suture needle to the jaw, and a retracted position wherein the distal end of the blade is out of engagement with the suture needle to thereby permit the suture needle to be removed from the jaw, wherein a proximal end of each blade is configured for slidable engagement in the helical groove of the camming hub; a second clutch selectively engageable with the first clutch of the camming hub, wherein rotation of the central shaft results in rotation of the pair of juxtaposed jaws about the longitudinal axis when the second clutch is disengaged from the first clutch and translation of the needle engaging blades when the second clutch is engaged with the first clutch.