Patent ID: 8906043

Claim:
An apparatus, comprising: (a) a shaft, wherein the shaft has a distal end, wherein the shaft further has a radius and defines a central longitudinal axis; and (b) an end effector located at the distal end of the shaft, wherein the end effector comprises: (i) a first needle grasping arm, wherein the first needle grasping arm is operable to selectively grasp and release a suture needle, wherein the first needle grasping arm extends along a first arm axis, wherein the first arm axis is parallel to the central longitudinal axis; and (ii) a second needle grasping arm, wherein the second needle grasping arm is operable to selectively grasp and release a suture needle, wherein the second needle grasping arm extends along a second arm axis, wherein the second arm axis is parallel to the central longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second needle grasping arms are operable to drive a suture needle along a rotational path about an axis that is parallel to and offset from the central longitudinal axis of the shaft, wherein the first needle grasping arm is operable to drive the suture needle along a first portion of the rotational path having a first radius, and wherein the second needle grasping arm is operable to drive the suture needle along a second portion of the rotational path having a second radius different than the first radius.