Patent ID: 8603112

Claim:
A suturing assembly comprising: a first puncture element comprising a sharp distal end for puncturing tissue; a second puncture element comprising a sharp distal end for puncturing tissue, the distal ends of said first and second puncture elements being spaced from each other by a gap; suture thread disposed along a portion of said first puncture element, wherein said suture thread is arranged to be grabbed at the distal end of said first puncture element; and a suture grabber positioned at the distal end of said second puncture element, said suture assembly having a mode of operation wherein: a. said first puncture element punctures through a tissue wall so that said suture thread passes from a near side of said tissue wall to a far side of said tissue wall; b. said second puncture element punctures through the tissue wall from said near side to said far side of said tissue wall; and c. said suture grabber grabs said suture thread at the distal end of said first puncture element at the far side of said tissue wall, brings said suture thread across said gap and moves said suture thread proximally away from the distal end of said second puncture element back through to the near side of said tissue wall, wherein said suture thread is disposed on a suture thread receiving member of a suture manipulating assembly, said suture manipulating assembly being arranged to pass into hollow portions of said first and second puncture elements, said suture thread receiving member disposed in said first puncture element and comprising two tines separated from each other by another gap, wherein said suture thread is received in crevices formed at ends of said tines.