Steerable suture retriever

Abstract

A positioning and retrieval device manipulated by carrying element coupled to an handle and driven by an actuator that allows for axial movement and rotational movement of a capturing portion on the carrying element.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A surgical instrument for manipulating a suture, the surgical instrument comprising:
 a shaft having a far portion and a near portion;   a lumen extending through the shaft to an opening at the far portion;   a handle at the near portion of the shaft;   a suture carrying element comprising a main segment having an arcuate element segment and a capture portion at a distal end, the capture portion having a first leg adjacent to the arcuate element segment, a seat connecting the first leg to a second leg, the seat having an arc shape such that the second leg extends back towards the arcuate element segment, where a free end of the second leg is opposite to the seat and forms an opening between the first leg and the second leg that opens towards the arcuate element segment, the opening configured to receive the suture;   wherein when the arcuate element segment is advanced out of the shaft the capture portion extends radially away from an axis of the main segment, the suture carrying element being elastically deformable when withdrawn within the lumen, and movement of the arcuate element segment within the opening deforms the arcuate element segment causing movement of the capture portion through an arc profile independently of the shaft, where a shape of the capture portion does not change during movement through the arc profile; and   an actuator housed in the handle and coupled to the main segment of the suture carrying element, the actuator being moveable relative to an axis of the handle in a rotational direction and in an axial direction, such that the suture carrying element can rotate and advance either independently or simultaneously relative to the shaft with movement of the actuator.