Method for tensioning a surgical closure

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a method for tensioning a suture member that crosses a portion of a wall of a tissue structure, comprising: advancing a distal portion of the suture member across at least a portion of a wall of the tissue structure; advancing a tensioning assembly, through which the suture member is threaded, toward the wall of the tissue structure, the tensioning assembly comprising: a tensioning member base having a tissue interface surface configured to engage a portion of the tissue structure when coupled to a suture member that may be threaded through the tensioning member base and into the tissue structure; a suture clamping member configured to be switched from a first mode, wherein a suture may be tensioned back and forth through a space defined at least in part by the clamping member, to a second mode, wherein a suture may only be tensioned in one direction relative to the suture clamping member; and a mode switching member movably coupled to the suture clamping member and configured to be operable to switch the suture clamping member from the first mode to the second mode; adjusting the physical relationship between the tensioning assembly, suture member, and tissue structure wall by modulating the position of the tensioning member base relative to the suture member and tissue structure wall with the tensioning mode switching member in the first mode; and controllably switching the tensioning mode switching member to the second mode.

1 . A method for tensioning a suture member that crosses a portion of a wall of a tissue structure, comprising:
 a. advancing a distal portion of the suture member across at least a portion of a wall of the tissue structure;   b. advancing a tensioning assembly, through which the suture member is threaded, toward the wall of the tissue structure, the tensioning assembly comprising:
 i. a tensioning member base having a tissue interface surface configured to engage a portion of the tissue structure when coupled to a suture member that may be threaded through the tensioning member base and into the tissue structure; 
 ii. a suture clamping member configured to be switched from a first mode, wherein a suture may be tensioned back and forth through a space defined at least in part by the clamping member, to a second mode, wherein a suture may only be tensioned in one direction relative to the suture clamping member; and 
 iii. a mode switching member movably coupled to the suture clamping member and configured to be operable to switch the suture clamping member from the first mode to the second mode; 
   c. adjusting the physical relationship between the tensioning assembly, suture member, and tissue structure wall by modulating the position of the tensioning member base relative to the suture member and tissue structure wall with the tensioning mode switching member in the first mode; and   d. controllably switching the tensioning mode switching member to the second mode.