Patent application number | Description | Published |
20130165953 | SUTURE CLIP DEPLOYMENT DEVICES - Suture clip deployment devices for applying suture clips to sutures are described. Some embodiments can include a generally tubular main body and a vacuum port located at the distal end, a hollow inner body longitudinally slidable within the main body and extending from the main body at its distal end, and a suture recess located in the generally tubular main body. At least one suture clip configured to frictionally fit on an outer surface of the inner body is deployed during use. Clip deployment can occur after a vacuum source is applied to the device so as to draw the suture into the device. The suture lines can be retrieved through the suture recess, and the device can be actuated so as to deliver the suture clip off the delivery device and onto the suture, locking the suture in place. | 06-27-2013 |
20140180337 | SYSTEM FOR SECURING SUTURES - Described herein are systems and methods for securing sutures that obviate the need for tying knots. Instead of tying two ends of a suture or two sutures together with a knot, two or more suture portions can be fused or cauterized together using heat. A device can be applied to adjacent suture portions that heats the suture portions and causes the suture portions to fuse together, effectively securing the suture portions together without a knot. | 06-26-2014 |
20140303652 | SUTURE CLIP DEPLOYMENT DEVICES - Suture clip deployment devices for applying suture clips to sutures are described. Some embodiments can include a generally tubular main body and a vacuum port located at the distal end, a hollow inner body longitudinally slidable within the main body and extending from the main body at its distal end, and a suture recess located in the generally tubular main body. At least one suture clip configured to frictionally fit on an outer surface of the inner body is deployed during use. Clip deployment can occur after a vacuum source is applied to the device so as to draw the suture into the device. The suture lines can be retrieved through the suture recess, and the device can be actuated so as to deliver the suture clip off the delivery device and onto the suture, locking the suture in place. | 10-09-2014 |
20140371842 | CARDIAC IMPLANT WITH INTEGRATED SUTURE FASTENERS - A cardiac implant system including a cardiac implant such as an annuloplasty ring, a prosthetic heart valve, or a valved conduit pre-assembled at the time of manufacture with devices for securing the implant to a heart valve annulus using knotless suture fasteners. The knotless suture fasteners may be embedded within a pliant sealing edge of the cardiac implant, or they may be positioned adjacent to the sealing edge. The knotless suture fasteners are spring-biased so as to grip onto annulus anchoring sutures pass to therethrough upon removal of a restraining device, such as a hypotube inserted within the suture fasteners. Guide tubes are assembled in line with the suture fasteners to permit introduction of suture snares that pass through the suture fasteners and through the sealing edge to facilitate capture of the pre-installed annulus anchoring sutures. | 12-18-2014 |
20150018625 | TISSUE RETRACTOR - A surgical site retractor is configured to retract tissue, such as in an intercostal procedure. The retractor may be formed from non-radiopaque material for improved monitoring via x-ray imaging. The retractor may have a rigid retractor and a soft tissue retractor, where the rigid retractor has a plurality of legs and the soft tissue retractor extends between the legs to prevent soft tissue from extending between said legs. The retractor may have a bendable arm with an implement holder, such as distal cuff or clip adapted to resiliently hold an implement such as a tube of an elongated port-access device. A method involves partly installing the surgical site retractor, expanding the surgical site retractor, deploying the surgical implement from outside the body through the incision and into the patient, resiliently capturing the implement with the holder of the arm, and bending the arm to hold the implement in a desired position. | 01-15-2015 |
20150018879 | KNOTLESS SUTURE FASTENER INSTALLATION SYSTEM - A knotless suture fastener installation system for securing medical devices such as cardiac implants. The knotless suture fasteners may be spring-biased so as to grip onto sutures passed therethrough. The system includes a fastener deployment tool with a proximal handle and a distal shaft to which a fastener cartridge attaches. A plurality of disposable cartridges are sequentially attached to the end of the deployment tool and used to secure the medical implant one fastener at a time. The deployment tool may also cut the sutures being fastened. | 01-15-2015 |
20150182217 | SUTURE CLIP DEPLOYMENT DEVICES - Suture clip deployment devices for applying suture clips to sutures are described. Some embodiments can include a generally tubular main body and a vacuum port located at the distal end, a hollow inner body longitudinally slidable within the main body and extending from the main body at its distal end, and a suture recess located in the generally tubular main body. At least one suture clip configured to frictionally fit on an outer surface of the inner body is deployed during use. Clip deployment can occur after a vacuum source is applied to the device so as to draw the suture into the device. The suture lines can be retrieved through the suture recess, and the device can be actuated so as to deliver the suture clip off the delivery device and onto the suture, locking the suture in place. | 07-02-2015 |
20160045313 | ANNULUS RINGS WITH SUTURE CLIPS - Disclosed herein are annular prosthetic devices, such as annuloplasty rings, that include suture clips integrated into or mounted within an annular frame. The clips can quickly secure to sutures to obviate the need to tied knots in the sutures during implantation. Embodiments comprise an annular frame having an open central region and a plurality of suture clips spaced angularly apart around the frame. Each of the suture clips can comprise two opposing tabs that extend toward each other such that the suture clip forms a gripping region between ends of the tabs and the gripping region is configured to grip a suture inserted through the suture clip between the two tabs. The annular frame and the plurality of suture clips can be formed from a single piece of flat material with the suture clip tabs being formed by laser cutting the piece of flat material, or the suture clips can be movable along a track formed in the annular frame. | 02-18-2016 |
20160089182 | SURGICAL STABILIZER AND CLOSURE SYSTEM - A system for stabilizing the heart via a helical needle, providing access to the interior of the heart via an introducer sheath, and forming a purse string suture using suture delivered by the helical needle. A helical needle projects distally from the device in a helical shape and terminates in a sharp distal tip. The helical needle is advanced into the heart wall, and is used to stabilize the heart and to pass a purse string suture through the heart tissue. An access port provides access to the interior of the heart via an opening passing through the heart wall in an area circumscribed by the helical needle. A length of suture may pass through the helical needle and exit at an opening at or near the needle distal tip. A free end of the length of suture may extend out of the distal tip and back into the hollow suture needle through the opening. The helical needle may have a deflection segment adjacent the distal tip that is more flexible than the rest of the helical distal portion of the helical needle. | 03-31-2016 |