US 12,390,211 B2
Apparatus and method for minimally invasive suturing
John C. Meade, Mendon, MA (US)
Assigned to Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed by INTUITIVE SURGICAL OPERATIONS, INC., Sunnyvale, CA (US)
Filed on Jan. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/567,138.
Application 17/567,138 is a continuation of application No. 16/384,640, filed on Apr. 15, 2019, granted, now 11,253,250.
Application 16/384,640 is a continuation of application No. PCT/US2018/018627, filed on Feb. 19, 2018.
Application 16/384,640 is a continuation of application No. 15/720,853, filed on Sep. 29, 2017, abandoned.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/463,724, filed on Feb. 26, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2022/0160348 A1, May 26, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01); A61B 17/062 (2006.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 17/06 (2006.01); A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61B 17/0469 (2013.01) [A61B 17/0482 (2013.01); A61B 17/0491 (2013.01); A61B 17/0625 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00128 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00199 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00221 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00411 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00477 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00734 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00778 (2013.01); A61B 2017/047 (2013.01); A61B 2017/0608 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2927 (2013.01); A61B 2034/303 (2016.02); A61B 2090/0811 (2016.02)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A suturing device comprising:
a housing defining an arcuate needle track therein, the arcuate needle track being configured to receive an arced suturing needle therein, the arcuate needle track having a first end and a second end and defining a first plane, wherein the housing defines a tissue capture gap between the first end and the second end of the arcuate needle track;
a needle advancement drive that reciprocates between a driven position and a returned position, the needle advancement drive being configured and arranged to advance the arced suturing needle along the arcuate needle track from the returned position to the driven position, wherein the needle advancement drive comprises a laterally deflectable pawl that is configured to move into and out of engagement with an engagement surface of the arced suturing needle along a direction that is perpendicular to the first plane, and further wherein the laterally deflectable pawl is configured to contact an outer toroidal surface of the arced suturing needle when the needle advancement drive moves from the driven position to the returned position; and
a needle position detection circuit configured to indicate when a portion of the arced suturing needle is positioned at a predetermined location along the arcuate needle track, the needle position detection circuit being configured to complete an electrical circuit through the laterally deflectable pawl and the arced suturing needle.