Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for applying and tightening a suture loop, said apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a length of suture having a free end and a loop at another end, wherein the loop is held at the distal end of the shaft and the free end of the suture extends through the hollow shaft to the proximal end; a handle assembly attached to the proximal end of the shaft, said handle assembly including a slidably mounted actuator, and means within the handle assembly for coupling the actuator to the free end of the suture so that the free end is drawn proximally by the actuator at a faster rate than the actuator, whereby drawing proximally on the actuator will tighten the suture loop; and wherein the actuator is a puller and the coupling means includes a pulley system rotatably mounted in the handle assembly comprising a small pulley wheel and a large pulley wheel, a connector line between the puller and the small pulley wheel, wherein the free end of the suture is connected to the large pulley wheel.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
185 words
Apparatus for applying and tightening a suture loop, said apparatus comprising: a hollow shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a length of suture having a free end and a loop at another end, wherein the loop is held at the distal end of the shaft and the free end of the suture extends through the hollow shaft to the proximal end; a handle assembly attached to the proximal end of the shaft, said handle assembly including a slidably mounted actuator, and means within the handle assembly for coupling the actuator to the free end of the suture so that the free end is drawn proximally by the actuator at a faster rate than the actuator, whereby drawing proximally on the actuator will tighten the suture loop; and wherein the actuator is a puller and the coupling means includes a pulley system rotatably mounted in the handle assembly comprising a small pulley wheel and a large pulley wheel, a connector line between the puller and the small pulley wheel, wherein the free end of the suture is connected to the large pulley wheel.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
Apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the handle assembly includes a housing having a protected interior, wherein the coupling means is entirely within the protected interior.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as in claim 2, wherein the diameter ratio of the large wheel to the small wheel is at least 2.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the loop is pre-tied having a diameter of at least 5 cm and the puller has a stroke length of at least 4 cm, whereby the loop can be closed.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for applying and tightening a suture loop through a cannula having a central lumen, said system comprising: a suture loop applier including a shaft, a length of suture having a free end and a loop at another end, wherein the loop is held at a distal end of the shaft, and means on the applier for pulling on the free end of the suture to tighten the loop; a sheath slidably mounted on the distal end of the shaft, said sheath covering the suture loop and having a protrusion near a proximal end; said protrusion placed along the shaft for engagement with a proximal end of the cannula during insertion of the shaft into the cannula, thereby causing the sheath to slide proximally on the shaft to expose the suture loop through a distal end of the cannula.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
140 words
A system for applying and tightening a suture loop through a cannula having a central lumen, said system comprising: a suture loop applier including a shaft, a length of suture having a free end and a loop at another end, wherein the loop is held at a distal end of the shaft, and means on the applier for pulling on the free end of the suture to tighten the loop; a sheath slidably mounted on the distal end of the shaft, said sheath covering the suture loop and having a protrusion near a proximal end; said protrusion placed along the shaft for engagement with a proximal end of the cannula during insertion of the shaft into the cannula, thereby causing the sheath to slide proximally on the shaft to expose the suture loop through a distal end of the cannula.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for applying a suture to a body structure, said method comprising: introducing a cannula into a patient over the body structure; providing a suture applier including a shaft, a length of suture having a free end and a pre-formed loop having a slip knot held at a distal end of the shaft, and an actuator coupled to the free end of the suture, and a sheath on the distal end of the shaft protecting the pre-formed loop, said sheath having a protrusion; introducing the suture applier and the sheath into the cannula; engaging the protrusion with the cannula thereby retracting the sheath along the shaft and exposing the pre-formed loop through a distal end of the cannula; and drawing the suture into the shaft by proximally translating the actuator relative to the shaft wherein the length of suture drawn is greater than the length of translation of the actuator.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
151 words
A method for applying a suture to a body structure, said method comprising: introducing a cannula into a patient over the body structure; providing a suture applier including a shaft, a length of suture having a free end and a pre-formed loop having a slip knot held at a distal end of the shaft, and an actuator coupled to the free end of the suture, and a sheath on the distal end of the shaft protecting the pre-formed loop, said sheath having a protrusion; introducing the suture applier and the sheath into the cannula; engaging the protrusion with the cannula thereby retracting the sheath along the shaft and exposing the pre-formed loop through a distal end of the cannula; and drawing the suture into the shaft by proximally translating the actuator relative to the shaft wherein the length of suture drawn is greater than the length of translation of the actuator.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
A method as in claim 6, wherein the step of introducing the cannula further comprises the cannula being introduced with an internal stylet, wherein the stylet is removed prior to introducing the suture applier and the sheath into the cannula.