Surgical needle capturing device

Claim 2

A surgical needle capturing device comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body member being a solid block adapted to rest against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, including tissue anchoring means on said body member for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle penetrates the body member, and said tissue anchoring means including a plurality of pins having points projecting from said body member.

Claim 3

A surgical needle capturing device comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body member being a solid block adapted to rest against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, including tissue anchoring means on said body member for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle penetrates the body member, and said tissue anchoring means including a plurality of pins having points projecting from said body member.

Claim 4

A surgical needle capturing device comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body member being a solid block adapted to rest against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, including tissue anchoring means on said body member for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle penetrates the body member, and said tissue anchoring means including a plurality of pins having points projecting from said body member.

Claim 5

A surgical needle capturing device comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body membEr being a solid block adapted to rest against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, wherein said handle member being a flat wand capable of securement to the manipulating element, including tissue anchoring means on said body for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle is being pushed into said body member, said tissue anchoring means including at least one row of pins extending from said body member, said body member being generally elliptical in cross-section, said body having a maximum length of about 0.26 inches and a maximum width of about 0.225 inches and a maximum heighth of about 0.16 inches, said pins extending from said body member about 0.025 inches, and the exposed portion of said handle member being about 1/2 inches long and having a width of about 1/8 inch and a thickness of about 0.025 inches.

Claim 6

A surgical needle capturing device comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body membEr being a solid block adapted to rest against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, wherein said handle member being a flat wand capable of securement to the manipulating element, including tissue anchoring means on said body for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle is being pushed into said body member, said tissue anchoring means including at least one row of pins extending from said body member, said body member being generally elliptical in cross-section, said body having a maximum length of about 0.26 inches and a maximum width of about 0.225 inches and a maximum heighth of about 0.16 inches, said pins extending from said body member about 0.025 inches, and the exposed portion of said handle member being about 1/2 inches long and having a width of about 1/8 inch and a thickness of about 0.025 inches.

Claim 7

A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said handle member terminates in a bifurcated portion which is disposed within said body member, and said pins are disposed in a single row between the legs of the bifurcations of said body member.

Claim 8

A surgical suturing needle capturing device for suturing vessels and the like comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body member being a solid block adapted to rest directly against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, tissue anchoring means on said body member for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle penetrates said body member and said body member having a maximum length of about 0.26 inches and a maximum width of about 0.225 inches and a maximum heighth of about 0.16 inches whereby said body member is sufficiently small to be disposed against a vessel.

Claim 9

A surgical suturing needle capturing device for suturing vessels and the like comprising a handle member, one end of said handle member being adapted for securement to a manipulating element, a body member, the other end of said handle member being attached to said body member, said handle member being of sufficient stiffness to transmit manipulations of said handle member to said body member whereby said body member may be manipulated in a controlled manner by manipulating said handle member, said body member being a solid block adapted to rest directly against a vessel wall and having sufficient resistance to be penetrated by a surgical needle passing through the vessel wall and to then grip the needle whereby manipulation of the handle member results in manipulation of the needle, tissue anchoring means on said body member for stabilizing the tissue while the surgical needle penetrates said body member and said body member having a maximum length of about 0.26 inches and a maximum width of about 0.225 inches and a maximum heighth of about 0.16 inches whereby said body member is sufficiently small to be disposed against a vessel.

Claim 10

A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said body member is made of a rubber-like material.

Claim 11

A device as set forth in claim 5 wherein said rubber-like material is silicone.

Claim 12

A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said handle member is a flat wand capable of securement to the manipulating element.

Claim 13

A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said tissue anchoring means includes contours on the surface of said body member.

Claim 14

A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said contours are projections extending outwardly from said body member.

Claim 15

A device as set forth in claim 9 wherein said projections terminate in tissue penetrating points.