Thermal suture welding apparatus and method

Abstract

A method of suture welding is disclosed which includes: receiving suture segments between first and second jaw members, the first and second jaw members being in an open state. closing the first and second jaw members to captively hold and position the suture segments between the first and second jaw members; selectively applying an elongated joiner element to the suture segments where the joiner element has a selectively operative heating element facing the suture segments; and applying energy to the heating element to weld the suture segments-to-be-welded, whereby the heating element has a temperature above a predetermined threshold adapted to at least partially melt the suture segments.

1 . A suture welding device, comprising:
 A. an elongated tube extending along a central axis between a proximal end and a distal end,   B. a suture positioning assembly affixed to said distal end of said tube, said suture positioning assembly including:
 i. a first jaw member extending along a first jaw axis from a proximal end and a distal end, 
 ii. a second jaw member extending along a second jaw axis from a proximal end and a distal end, wherein at least one of said first and second jaw member includes an anvil portion at a distal end extending transverse to its respective jaw axis; 
 iii. a grasp assembly adapted to position said first jaw member opposite said second jaw member, said grasp assembly being selectively operative to position said first and second jaw members between; 
 a first state wherein said first jaw member and said second jaw member are relatively divergent at said distal ends of said jaw members; and 
 a second state wherein said first jaw member and said second jaw member are relatively non-divergent at said distal ends of said jaw members; 
 wherein said jaw members are adapted to captively hold and position suture segments-to-be-welded between said first and second jaw members when said grasp assembly is in said second state. 
   C. an elongated joiner element extending along said central axis between a proximal end and a distal end, said joiner element having a selectively operative heating element disposed at said distal end of said joiner element;   D. a compression and weld assembly operative to translate said joiner element along said central axis whereby in a first preparatory state, said distal end of said joiner element is relatively far from said anvil portion of said at least one jaw, and in a weld state, is relatively near and biased toward said anvil portion of said at least one jaw; and   E. a weld controller selectively operative when said grasp assembly is in said second state and said compression and weld assembly is in said weld state, to apply energy to said heating element, whereby said heating element has a temperature above a predetermined threshold adapted to at least partially melt said suture segments captively held between said jaws.   
   
   
       2 . A suture welding device according to  claim 1 , wherein said first jaw includes an anvil portion at said distal end extending transverse to said first jaw axis, and wherein said second jaw includes an anvil portion at said distal end extending transverse to said second jaw axis. 
   
   
       3 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said jaw members are adapted to position two suture segments of diameter D held therein in said second state with said suture segments being side-by-side transverse to said central axis.   
   
   
       4 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said jaw members are adapted to position two suture segments held therein in said second state with said suture segments being side-by-side along said central axis.   
   
   
       5 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein said jaw members are adapted to position two suture segments held therein in said second state with said suture segments being side-by-side along an axis oblique with respect to said central axis.   
   
   
       6 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , wherein said elongated tube is flexible. 
   
   
       7 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , wherein said elongated tube is rigid. 
   
   
       8 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , further comprising said suture segments and wherein said suture segments are manufactured from materials that enable welding of such suture segments. 
   
   
       9 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , wherein said joiner element remains within said suture positioning assembly during welding. 
   
   
       10 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , wherein said joiner element extends beyond said suture positioning assembly during welding. 
   
   
       11 . A suture welding device according to  claim 2 , further comprising an elongated sleeve member extending along said central axis, said sleeve member including
 i. a first hook member extending along said central axis and adjacent one side of said suture positioning assembly; having an inner surface thereof positioned transverse to said suture segments when said suture segments are captively held between said first and second jaw members; and   ii. a second hook member extending along said central axis and adjacent to a side of said suture position assembly opposite said first hook member, and having an inner surface thereof positioned transverse to said suture segments when said suture segments are captively held between said first and second jaw members wherein said suture positioning assembly is slidably engaged within said sleeve member to selectively cut said suture segments.   
   
   
       12 . The suture welding device of  claim 11 , wherein said first and second hook members are positioned downward relative to said central axis. 
   
   
       13 . The suture welding device of  claim 2 , further comprising an elongated sleeve member extending along said central axis from a distal end to a proximal end, wherein said sleeve member further comprises a cutting edge along a portion of said proximal end; 
     wherein said suture positioning assembly is slidably engaged within said sleeve member to selectively cut said suture segments. 
   
   
       14 . The suture welding device of  claim 1 , wherein the first jaw member extends along the first jaw axis without a flange, and the second jaw member includes a flange extending transverse to the second jaw axis in a direction at least partially towards the first jaw member. 
   
   
       15 . The suture welding device of  claim 14 , wherein the flange extends beyond a distal end of the first jaw member, and, when the grasp assembly is in the second state, the distal end of the first jaw rests against a surface of the flange facing the distal end of the first jaw. 
   
   
       16 . The suture welding device of  claim 14 , wherein, when the grasp assembly is in the second state, an end of the flange distal from the second jaw axis rests against a surface of the distal end of the first jaw facing the second jaw. 
   
   
       17 . The suture welding device of  claim 1 , wherein the elongated tube is adapted to be received in an endoscopic surgical field. 
   
   
       18 . The suture welding device of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the grasp assembly comprises an anchor adapted to receive the suture segments,   wherein said first and second jaw members are adapted to captively hold and position the suture segments and said anchor between said first and second jaw members when said grasp assembly is in said second state; and   wherein the weld controller is selectively operative when said grasp assembly is in said second state and said compression and weld assembly is in said weld state, to apply energy to said heating element, whereby said heating element has a temperature above a predetermined threshold adapted to at least partially melt said anchor captively held between said jaw members.   
   
   
       19 . The suture welding device of  claim 18 , wherein the anchor comprises a bone anchor. 
   
   
       20 . A suture welding device, comprising:
 A. an elongated tube extending along a central axis between a proximal end and a distal end,   B. a suture positioning assembly affixed to said distal end of said tube, said suture positioning assembly including:
 i. a hooked jaw member extending along a jaw axis from a proximal end and a distal end, and including a hooked flange portion at said distal end extending transverse to said jaw axis, said hooked flange portion being substantially curved and of sufficient length to provide a welding surface against which suture segments-to-be-welded may be compressed during welding; 
 wherein said hooked jaw member is adapted to captively hold and position the suture segments-to-be-welded against said welding surface; 
   C. an elongated joiner element extending along said central axis between a proximal end and a distal end, said joiner element having a selectively operative heating element disposed at said distal end of said joiner element;   D. a compression and weld assembly operative to translate said joiner element along said central axis whereby in a first preparatory state, said distal end of said joiner element is relatively far from said welding surface, and in a weld state, is relatively near and biased toward said welding surface; and   E. a weld controller selectively operative when said compression and weld assembly is in said weld state, to apply energy to said heating element, whereby said heating element has a temperature above a predetermined threshold adapted to at least partially melt said suture segments captively held against said welding surface.   
   
   
       21 . A method of suture welding comprising:
 receiving suture segments between first and second jaw members, said first and second jaw members being in an open state.   closing said first and second jaw members to captively hold and position the suture segments between said first and second jaw members;   selectively applying a joiner element to the suture segments; said joiner element having a selectively operative heating element facing the suture segments;   applying energy to said heating element to weld the suture segments, whereby said heating element has a temperature above a predetermined threshold adapted to at least partially melt the suture segments.   
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising aligning two or more of the suture segments side by side. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising, after closing said first and second jaw members to captively hold and position the suture segments between said first and second jaw members, tensioning one or more of the suture segments. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 21 , further comprising, after applying energy to said heating element to weld the suture segments, cutting a portion of one or more of the suture segments. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the selectively applying a joiner element to the suture segments comprises compressing the suture segments between said joiner element and a surface of said jaw members