Apparatus for laparoscopic suturing with improved suture needle

Claim 2

A suturing assembly, comprising: a) a first outer barrel having a first end portion, and a second end portion, and an interior bore therethrough, said barrel portion further including a first caming means has been; b) a suture needle secured to the second of the barrel portion, the suture needle including a bore through the needle body portion and a thread therethrough; c) a second barrel portion, slidably moveable within the bore of the outer barrel, likewise having a first and second end portions, and a bore therethrough; d) rod means on the second end of the second barrel portion, said rod means further comprising a loop member for engaging a length of thread; e) second caming means on the rod means for engaging the first camming means on the first outer barrel, for misaligning the end of the rod means as the rod means moves to a position past the length of the thread and f) a trocar for positioning the suturing apparatus from a position outside to inside of the body cavity.

Claim 3

The assembly in claim 1, further comprising a housing means secured along the length of the outer barrel through which the thread is threaded before the thread is threaded through the needle member.

Claim 4

The suturing assembly in claim 1, wherein the loop member secures an arc of thread, to allow the repetition of the needle to suture therethrough.

Claim 5

A process for forming sutures within the confines of the body without forming a direct incision in the skin, comprising the following steps: a) providing a suture assembly, formed by a pair of slidingly engagable barrel members, a first end of which are insertable into a trocar member extending into the body cavity of the patient; b) providing a suture needle on the first end of the outer barrel member, the needle having a length of thread therethrough; c) rotating the barrel so that the suture needle punctures the tissue to be sutured, forming an arc of thread through the puncture; d) grasping and securing the arc to form a loop of thread; e) withdrawing the needle from the tissue by rotating the needle back through the puncture; f) rotating the needle through the loop of thread to complete the suture; g) repeating steps c through e until the tissue is completely sutured.

Claim 6

A process for forming sutures within the confines of the body without forming a direct incision in the skin, comprising the following steps: a) providing a suture assembly, formed by a pair of slidingly engagable barrel members, a first end of which are insertable into a trocar member extending into the body cavity of the patient; b) providing a suture needle on the first end of the outer barrel member, the needle having a length of thread therethrough; c) rotating the barrel so that the suture needle punctures the tissue to be sutured, forming an arc of thread through the puncture; d) grasping and securing the arc to form a loop of thread; e) withdrawing the needle from the tissue by rotating the needle back through the puncture; f) rotating the needle through the loop of thread to complete the suture; g) repeating steps c through e until the tissue is completely sutured.

Claim 7

The process in claim 4, wherein the arc of thread grasped is secured by a loop means secured to a rod member extending from the barrel.

Claim 8

The process in claim 4, further comprising the step of camming the loop means for engaging the thread to be formed into a suture.

Claim 9

A suturing assembly, comprising: a) a first outer barrel having a first end portion, and a second end portion, and an interior bore therethrough, said barrel portion further including a first caming means; b) a suture needle secured to the second end of the barrel portion, the suture needle including a bore through the needle body portion for threading thread therethrough; c) a second barrel portion, slidably moveable within the bore of the outer barrel, likewise having a first and second end portions, and a bore therethrough; d) means on the second end of the second barrel portion, said means further comprising a loop member for engaging the of thread; e) second caming means on the rod means for engaging the first camming means on the first outer barrel, to misalign the loop means as the loop means moves to a position past the length of the thread, and f) a trocar member insertable into the cavity of the patient for positioning the suturing apparatus from a position outside to inside of the body cavity.

Claim 10

A suturing assembly, comprising: a) a first outer barrel having a first end portion, and a second end portion, and an interior bore therethrough, said barrel portion further including a first caming means; b) a suture needle secured to the second end of the barrel portion, the suture needle including a bore through the needle body portion for threading thread therethrough; c) a second barrel portion, slidably moveable within the bore of the outer barrel, likewise having a first and second end portions, and a bore therethrough; d) means on the second end of the second barrel portion, said means further comprising a loop member for engaging the of thread; e) second caming means on the rod means for engaging the first camming means on the first outer barrel, to misalign the loop means as the loop means moves to a position past the length of the thread, and f) a trocar member insertable into the cavity of the patient for positioning the suturing apparatus from a position outside to inside of the body cavity.

Claim 11

The assembly in claim 7, further comprising a housing means secured along the length of the exterior barrel through which the thread is threaded before the thread is threaded through the needle member.

Claim 12

The suturing assembly in claim 7, wherein the loop means secures the arc of thread, to allow the continuing suturing of the needle therethrough.

Claim 13

The suturing assembly in claim 7, wherein the first and second camming means provide a means to allow the loop means to secure the arc of thread, and to return the secured thread into a loop for suturing.

Claim 14

The suturing assembly in claim 7, wherein the needle member is circumferentially misaligned in relation to the curvature of the barrel member, so as to provide a longer needle length for suturing.