Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080269782 | Surgical suturing apparatus - A surgical suturing apparatus is described. The suturing apparatus has a needle having at least one pointed end, a channel for releasably receiving the needle, a needle positioning assembly having members for moving the needle and an actuation assembly for actuating the needle positioning assembly. The needle includes a first puncturing point at a proximal end thereof and an engagement section adjacent thereto, a distal end, which may have a second puncturing point, and another engagement section adjacent the distal end. A structure, such as an eye or a slot, is provided to secure a length of suture material to the needle. The members for moving the needle include an engagement member for releasably engaging one of the engagement sections of the needle to effect axial movement of the needle within the channel, a ramp member for effecting movement of the needle in the distal direction along the longitudinal axis of the channel and for urging the proximal end of the needle out of the channel, and a snare axially movable within the channel and having a portion releasably housed within the channel. The snare portion is configured for capturing the proximal engagement section of the needle to guide the needle in a proximal direction when the needle is out of the channel and to guide the return of the needle to the channel. | 10-30-2008 |
20080269783 | Curved needle suturing tool - A needle delivery device is described and includes generally, a needle made of a shape memory alloy pre-formed in an unconstrained configuration, such as, for example, an arc or a curved needle. The needle delivery device also includes a needle delivery guide, a suturing guide and a positioning member. The needle has an eye at its leading tip for holding suture material. The needle delivery guide has a needle channel for passage of the needle therethrough. The needle channel is configured to hold the needle in a constrained configuration, for example, in substantial alignment with the longitudinal axis of the needle channel. The suturing guide is pivotally connected to the delivery guide. The positioning member moves the suturing guide between an extended position and a collapsed position, wherein, in the extended position, the suturing guide is configured to stabilize the tissue and guide the needle in its unconstrained configuration and to enable access by, for example, a grasper or other tool, to the suture material. | 10-30-2008 |
20090306683 | ENDOSCOPIC DROP OFF BAG - A specimen retrieval device may comprise the specimen retrieval bag for retrieval biological materials, a hybrid shaft, a first collapsible arm, and a second collapsible arm. The hybrid shaft may comprise a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the distal end is flexible, and wherein the proximal end is rigid. The first collapsible arm may be located at the distal end of the hybrid shaft, and may include a first portion. The second collapsible arm may be located at the distal end of the hybrid shaft, may include a first portion and a second portion. The second portion of the second collapsible arm may extend distally beyond the first portion of the second collapsible arm. The specimen retrieval bag may have an open end and a closed end, and may be configured to be retained upon the first collapsible arm and the second collapsible arm. | 12-10-2009 |
20100057108 | SUTURING DEVICE - Methods of using a surgical suturing device are disclosed. The methods may contemplate a surgical suturing device comprising a grasper device that is translatable within an outer lumen. The methods may comprise grasping a first end of a needle with the grasper device. The needle may be resilient to a curved resting state. The methods may also comprise translating the grasper device proximally relative to the outer lumen such that the needle is translated into the outer lumen, wherein the outer lumen tends to straighten the needle from the curved resting state and moving the outer lumen distally towards tissue. The grasper device may be translated distally relative to the outer lumen such that a second end of the needle extends distally from the outer lumen and pierces the tissue. The needle may return to the curved resting state as it exits the outer lumen. The methods may also comprise releasing the first end of the needle from the grasper device. When a second end of the needle emerges from the tissue, the second end of the needle may be grasped with the grasper device. | 03-04-2010 |
20100076451 | RIGIDIZABLE SURGICAL INSTRUMENT - A rigidizable surgical instrument comprises a rigidizable member, a first collapsible arm, a second collapsible arm, and a specimen retrieval bag for retrieving biological materials. The collapsible arms may be located at the distal end of the rigidizable member. The specimen retrieval bag may have an open end and a closed end, and may be configured to be retained upon the collapsible arms. The rigidizable member may include a rigidizing component to rigidize the rigidizable member when the state-change material or a stiffening element is in a rigid state. The rigidizable member may be rendered substantially rigid when the rigidizing component is actuated and the rigidizable member may be rendered substantially flexible when the rigidizing component is deactuated. A rigidizing mechanism for actuating the rigidizing component may include a vacuum. Various end-effectors may be provided in addition to the specimen retrieval bag. | 03-25-2010 |
20110105850 | VAGINAL ENTRY SURGICAL DEVICES, KIT, SYSTEM, AND METHOD - A surgical method, system, kit, and various devices are provided for use in, among other things, vaginal entry during a natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgical procedure. A system and/or method provide for the rapid creation of a conduit and/or multiple ports in a natural orifice, such as a patient's vagina, while accommodating anatomical variation to reduce the need to excise additional tissue from the patient. | 05-05-2011 |
20130085337 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SUCTION AND/OR IRRIGATION IN A SURGICAL PROCEDURE - Methods and devices are provided for providing suction and/or irrigation to locations within a body cavity. In general, the methods and devices can allow instruments within a body cavity to be cleaned during a surgical procedure without having to remove the instruments from the body cavity. In one embodiment, an end effector is provided that includes an elongate body having a cleaning base formed thereon. The end effector can be configured as a modular element configured to be removably and replaceably attachable to a distal end of an elongate shaft. The cleaning base can have one or more ports formed through a surface thereof. The cleaning base can be configured to provide suction and/or irrigation through the one or more ports to clean a face of a surgical instrument seated in the cleaning base or in close proximity to the cleaning base. | 04-04-2013 |
20130158348 | INTRODUCER FOR AN INTERNAL MAGNETIC CAMERA - An introducer for an internal magnetic camera is provided. The introducer may be arranged to enable the camera to be placed inside of a body cavity through an otomy or incision and then oriented next to the tissue of the body cavity opposite an External Control Unit (“ECU”) outside of the body cavity. The camera may be retained in the introducer by a magnet or a magnetic material, by a selectively engageable retainer, or by covering the camera within a cavity. The camera may be retained in the introducer by a latch. The camera may include a keyed surface that only can align with a matching keyed surface on the retainer in a single orientation. The introducer may include a spring to eject the camera from the introducer when the retainer is disengaged. | 06-20-2013 |
20130217970 | APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR CLEANING THE LENS OF AN ENDOSCOPE - An apparatus for cleaning a lens, or one or more lenses, of an endoscopic camera while the endoscope is deployed in a patient during a medical procedure, such as a minimally invasive procedure, or a therapeutic or diagnostic procedure, is disclosed. The cleaning apparatus generally includes a conduit having a fluid delivery port, an alignment system, and a flexible supply tube to fluidly connect the conduit to one or both of a source of a fluid and a suction device. | 08-22-2013 |
20130253256 | APPARATUSES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR USE AND TRANSPORT OF MAGNETIC MEDICAL DEVICES WITH TRANSPORT FIXTURES OR SAFETY CAGES - Various embodiments of spacer apparatuses, and transport and/or storage apparatuses, for use with magnetic platforms configured to be magnetically coupled to a medical device within a body cavity of a patient. | 09-26-2013 |
20130303851 | APPARATUS FOR INTRODUCING A STEERABLE CAMERA ASSEMBLY INTO A PATIENT - A cannula assembly including a seal for an endoscopic internal magnetic camera tether. The seal may include stacked compliant membranes with an aperture in each membrane through which a camera tether may pass. The apertures may overlap. The at least one aperture may be arranged as a slit. Each of the apertures may comprise a wedge-shaped gap. The membranes may include engagement members that couple to engagement members on the cannula assembly. The cannula assembly may provide separate ports for the camera tethers and for a trocar or other endoscopic instrument passing through the cannula assembly. The cannula assembly also may include a rotating housing with two openings and a seal arranged in each opening. The cannula assembly may include a sleeve that encases a cannula tube. The sleeve may include a seal on its end and a channel on its periphery through which a camera tether may pass. | 11-14-2013 |
20150065938 | ENDOSCOPIC TRANSORAL DUODENAL SLEEVE APPLIER - A duodenal sleeve assembly comprises a sleeve, an expandable sealing member, a tether, and an expandable anchor. The sleeve is secured to the sealing member. The tether couples the anchor with the sealing member. A deployment instrument comprises a shaft assembly, a first retention member, and a second retention member. The first retention member selectively secures the sealing member to the shaft assembly. The second retention member selectively secures the anchor to the shaft assembly. When the first retention member is released, the sealing member expands outwardly to seal the proximal end of the sleeve against the mucosa of the patient's duodenum. When the second retention member is released, the anchor expands outwardly within the stomach to anchor the sleeve assembly relative to the stomach. The tether traverses the pylorus. The sleeve isolates chyme from enzymes in the duodenum; and the mucosa of the duodenum from nutrients in the chyme. | 03-05-2015 |