Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for suturing of body lumens allow the suturing of vascular puncture sites located at the distal end of a percutaneous tissue tract. An elongated articulated foot near a distal end of a shaft is inserted through the penetration and actuated so that the foot extends along the lumenal axis. The foot carries suturing attachment cuffs, and needles are advanced from the shaft through the vessel wall outside of the penetration and into engagement with the needle cuffs after the foot has been drawn proximally up against the endothelial surface of the blood vessel. The cross-section of the shaft within the tissue tract can be minimized by laterally deflecting the needles as they leave the shaft, while tapered depressions within the foot can guide the advancing needles into engagement with the cuffs. The cuffs lockingly engage the needles and can be withdrawn proximally along the needle paths and through the tissue tract so as to form a loop of suture across the puncture.

Abstract: A suturing device suitable for anastomosis procedures. The suturing device includes a suture guid and a needle holder. The suture guide includes a foot portion having an axis defined along a length of the foot portion. The foot portion includes a plurality of apertures, each aperture holding a suture. The needle holder movably holds at least one needle relative to a first side of the foot portion and movably holds at least one needle relative to a second side of the foot portion. The needles are movable into respective apertures, and the at least one needle on the first side of the foot portion is at an angle relative to the at least one needle on the second side of the foot portion.

Abstract: A suture trimmer, the suture trimmer including a shaft having a first end, a second end and a bore extending axially therebetween, the shaft having an opening formed in the side adjacent the distal end. A fitting is on the distal end of the shaft, the fitting having an aperture formed therethrough, the aperture axially aligned with the bore of the lumen and in communication with the opening formed in the shaft. The suture trimmer further including a actuating device, the actuating device coupled to a cutting member slidably disposed within the bore of the shaft, the cutting member configured to be moved between a first position and a second position, when disposed in the second position the cutting member closes the opening formed in the side of the shaft.

Abstract: A needle deployment device is provided. The needle deployment device comprises a body, a plurality of medical needles displaceably mounted on the body and an actuator on the body. The actuator is actuatable in response to pressurizing a fluid so as to cause the needles to displace relative to the body. It has been found that the device can be used advantageously as a suture placement device for placing suture elements through walls of vessels, and the like, during, for example, coronary artery bypass graft (CABG)surgery, or the like. Furthermore, a medical system comprising at least two bodies, a plurality of needles displaceably mounted on each body and an actuator on each body is provided. Each actuator is selectively actuatable in response to pressurizing a fluid so as to cause the needles to be displaced relative to their associated bodies. A method of performing a medical procedure is also provided.

Abstract: A suture handling device for handling a plurality of suture elements is provided. The suture handling device comprises a body. It further comprises a plurality of passages defined on the body. Each passage has a mouth and an opposed end. The passages are arranged to diverge outwardly relative to one another in a direction away from their mouths, such that when the suture handling device is advanced over a plurality of spaced apart suture elements so that the suture elements enter the mouths and pass along the passages, the suture elements become spaced further apart. Advantageously, the suture handling device can be provided with an engaging formation for engaging the suture elements in the slots after they have been spaced further apart, thereby to retain the suture elements on the device.