Suture delivery device

Abstract

Disclosed is a suture delivery device for endoscopically passing a suture into biological tissue. The device can include two hypodermic needles that can be manipulated via controls on a handle of the device in order to pass a suture from one needle to the other. For example, the device can include a first needle coupled to at least one loop member that, when deployed from the first needle, provides a target through which a second needle of the device can deliver the suture. Once the second needle intersects the loop member, the user can advance a length of suture out through a distal end of the second needle. The loop member can then be retracted into the first needle, thereby grabbing and securing the suture in the process.

1 . A suture delivery device for endoscopically delivering a suture through soft tissue, comprising:
 a handle sized and shaped to be grasped by a user;   a first elongated needle extending outwardly from the handle, the first elongated needle being hollow and having a proximal, straight section attached to the handle and a distal, curved section with a sharpened distalmost tip;   a flexible loop member slidably positioned inside the first elongated needle, the flexible loop member being movable between a retracted position inside the first elongated needle and a deployed position outside of the distalmost tip of the first elongated needle;   a second elongated needle extending outwardly from the handle adjacent the first elongated needle, the second elongated needle being hollow and movable between a first position entirely outside the loop member and a second position where a distal end of the second needle intersects the loop member when the loop member is in the deployed position, and wherein the distal end of the second elongated needle is aligned to allow the loop member to grasp the second elongated needle when the second elongated needle is in the second position; and   a suture slidably positioned along the second elongated needle for aligning the suture within the loop member.   
     
     
         2 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one control member associated with the handle for controlling movement of at least one of the flexible loop member, the second elongated needle, and the suture. 
     
     
         3 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the suture extends at least one of parallel to and in line with a longitudinal axis of the second elongated needle, the longitudinal axis intersecting a part of the flexible loop such that advancement of the suture along the second elongated needle allows the suture to intersect the flexible loop thereby allowing the flexible loop to grasp the suture. 
     
     
         4 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , further comprising a cannula extending from the handle, the second elongated needle being movable relative to the cannula and extending along an inner passageway of the cannula. 
     
     
         5 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the shape of the loop member when in the deployed position includes one or more of a spherical shape, an oblong shape, a cylindrical shape, and a square shape. 
     
     
         6 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the loop member comprises at least one flexible member extending between a proximal loop end and a distal loop end. 
     
     
         7 . The suture delivery device of  claim 6 , wherein the at least one flexible member is made out of Nitinol. 
     
     
         8 . The suture delivery device of  claim 1 , wherein the loop member comprises a three-dimensional spherical net including more than two flexible members radially extending at an angel relative to each other. 
     
     
         9 . A suture delivery device for endoscopically delivering a suture through soft tissue, comprising:
 a handle sized and shaped to be grasped by a user;   a first elongated needle extending outwardly from the handle, the first elongated needle being hollow with a sharpened distalmost tip;   a flexible loop member slidably positioned inside the first elongated needle, the flexible loop member being movable between a retracted position inside the first elongated needle and a deployed position outside of the distalmost tip of the first elongated needle;   a second elongated needle extending outwardly from the handle adjacent the first elongated needle, the second elongated needle being hollow and having a proximal, straight section attached to the handle and a distal, curved section with a sharpened distalmost tip, the second elongated needle being movable between a first position entirely outside the loop member and a second position where a distal end of the second needle intersects the loop member when the loop member is in the deployed position, and wherein the distal end of the second elongated needle is aligned to allow the loop member to grasp the second elongated needle when the second elongated needle is in the second position; and   a suture slidably positioned along the second elongated needle for aligning the suture within the loop member.   
     
     
         10 . The suture delivery device of  claim 9 , further comprising at least one control member associated with the handle for controlling movement of at least one of the flexible loop member, the second elongated needle, and the suture. 
     
     
         11 . The suture delivery device of  claim 9 , wherein the profile shape of the loop member when in the deployed position includes one or more of a spherical shape, an oblong shape, a cylindrical shape, and a square shape. 
     
     
         12 . The suture delivery device of  claim 9 , wherein the loop member comprises at least one flexible member extending between a proximal loop end and a distal loop end. 
     
     
         13 . The suture delivery device of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one flexible member is made out of Nitinol. 
     
     
         14 . The suture delivery device of  claim 9 , wherein the loop member comprises a three-dimensional spherical net including more than two flexible members radially extending at an angel relative to each other. 
     
     
         15 . A method comprising:
 puncturing a distal end of a suture delivery device through tissue, the suture delivery device comprising:
 a first elongated needle extending from a handle, the first elongated needle being hollow and having a proximal, straight section attached to the handle and a distal, curved section with a sharpened distalmost tip; 
 a flexible loop member being movable between a retracted position inside the first elongated needle and a deployed position outside of the distalmost tip of the first elongated needle; 
 a second elongated needle extending from the handle and being movable between a first position outside the loop member and a second position where a distal end of the second needle intersects the loop member when the loop member is in the deployed position, wherein the distal end of the second elongated needle is aligned to allow the loop member to grasp the second elongated needle when the second elongated needle is in the second position; 
 a suture slidably positioned along the second elongated needle for aligning the suture within the loop member; and 
   deploying the flexible loop member from the first elongated needle, the flexible loop member thereby forming the deployed position;   advancing the second elongated needle from the first position to the second position such that the distal end of the second needle intersects the loop member;   advancing the suture to extend at least substantially through the flexible loop member; and   retracting the flexible loop member thereby grasping and securing the suture within the retracted flexible loop member.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 retracting the second elongated needle to the first position.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein puncturing the distal end of the device comprises puncturing the tissue with a distal end of the first elongated needle. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein advancing the second elongated needle into the second position comprises puncturing the tissue with the second elongated needle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 pulling the device in a proximal direction thereby looping the suture through the tissue to form a part of a stitch.