Patent ID: 8591526

Claim:
A suturing device for suturing with a suturing needle having a first end and a second end, the suturing device comprising: an elongated sheath having a working end for insertion through a working channel in an endoscope, the sheath having an inner passage defined through at least a portion of the sheath adjacent the working end; a suturing assembly comprising: an elongated flexible base member having a working end and a handle end; a first suturing arm having a proximal end interconnected with the working end of the elongated flexible base member and an opposite distal end, a first needle receiver disposed at the distal end of the first suturing arm; a second suturing arm having a proximal end interconnected with the working end of the elongated flexible base member and an opposite distal end, a second needle receiver disposed at the distal end of the second suturing arm; each suturing arm having a base segment and a working segment, the base segment extending from the proximal end to a transition region and the working segment extending from the transition region to the distal end; each of the needle receivers operable to receive and support a suturing needle independent of the other of the needle receivers; a first needle locking element interacting with the first needle receiver to selectively lock the suturing needle in the first needle receiver; and a second needle locking element interacting with the second needle receiver to selectively lock the suturing needle in the second needle receiver; the suturing arms being movable between an open position wherein the distal ends are spaced apart by a first distance and a closed position wherein the distal ends are spaced apart by a second distance less than the first distance, the base segments being generally parallel when the suturing arms are in the open position; wherein the first and second suturing arms are formed of a flexible and resilient material such that moving the suturing arms between the open and closed positions flexes the suturing arms, the suturing arms being biased towards the open position; the suturing assembly disposed through the inner passage of the sheath, the sheath being movable relative to the suturing assembly between a retracted position and an extended position, the sheath in the extended position engaging the suturing arms and urging the suturing arms towards the closed position.