Patent ID: 8771292

Claim:
An apparatus for treating tissue within a patient's body, the apparatus comprising: a generally elongated catheter having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion; a vacuum port assembly positioned on the catheter distal end portion, the vacuum port assembly configured to apply a vacuum in order to releasably grasp tissue; a vacuum control apparatus configured to control the application of vacuum to the vacuum port assembly; an extension member configured to extend and retract from the distal end portion of the generally elongated catheter; a first suture needle configured to deploy suture through tissue, the first suture needle secured to a first suture end and positioned on the extension member with a first needle tip directed substantially proximally, wherein the first suture needle is configured to be proximally moved tip-first toward the catheter distal end portion; a second suture needle configured to deploy suture through tissue, the second suture needle secured to a second suture end and positioned on the extension member with a second needle tip direct substantially proximally, wherein the second suture needle is configured to be proximally moved tip-first toward the catheter distal end portion; a needle capturing apparatus configured to grip and retain the first suture needle and the second suture needle, wherein the needle capturing apparatus is positioned at the catheter distal end.