Suture delivery tool

Claim 1

An apparatus for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising an elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion spaced from the proximal end portion along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end face, first needle lumens extending in said elongated member between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, a tip disposed near the distal end portion of said elongated member and including second needle lumen portions aligned with said first needle lumens, said tip being spaced apart from said distal end face of said elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between said tip and said distal end face for receiving the vessel wall, at least two locker needle lumens extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion each having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of said elongated member, and at least two locker needles each disposed in an associated one of said locker needle lumens and having a shape effective to penetrate tissue of the patient, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, said distance and said angle being effective to prevent said locker needle from contacting the vessel wall of the patient.

Claim 2

An apparatus for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising an elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion spaced from the proximal end portion along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end face, first needle lumens extending in said elongated member between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, a tip disposed near the distal end portion of said elongated member and including second needle lumen portions aligned with said first needle lumens, said tip being spaced apart from said distal end face of said elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between said tip and said distal end face for receiving the vessel wall, at least two locker needle lumens extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion each having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of said elongated member, and at least two locker needles each disposed in an associated one of said locker needle lumens and having a shape effective to penetrate tissue of the patient, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, said distance and said angle being effective to prevent said locker needle from contacting the vessel wall of the patient.

Claim 8

An apparatus for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising an elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion spaced from the proximal end portion along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end face, a central guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion for receiving a guidewire, and first and second groups of at least three first needle lumens extending in said elongated member between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, a tip disposed near the distal end portion of said elongated member and including second needle lumen portions aligned with said first needle lumens, said tip being spaced apart from said distal end face of said elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between said tip and said distal end face for receiving the vessel wall, first and second needle sets each having at least three hollow needle members, wherein said needle members and said second needle lumen portions cooperate to form suture paths, at least two locker needle lumens each extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion and having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of said elongated member, and at least two locker needles each disposed in an associated one of said locker needle lumens and having a shape effective to penetrate tissue of the patient, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, said distance and said angle being effective to prevent said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall of the patient.

Claim 9

An apparatus for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising an elongated member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion spaced from the proximal end portion along a longitudinal axis and having a distal end face, a central guidewire lumen extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion for receiving a guidewire, and first and second groups of at least three first needle lumens extending in said elongated member between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion, a tip disposed near the distal end portion of said elongated member and including second needle lumen portions aligned with said first needle lumens, said tip being spaced apart from said distal end face of said elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between said tip and said distal end face for receiving the vessel wall, first and second needle sets each having at least three hollow needle members, wherein said needle members and said second needle lumen portions cooperate to form suture paths, at least two locker needle lumens each extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion and having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of said elongated member, and at least two locker needles each disposed in an associated one of said locker needle lumens and having a shape effective to penetrate tissue of the patient, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, said distance and said angle being effective to prevent said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall of the patient.

Claim 15

A method for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising the steps of inserting a tip of an elongated member through a wound in a vessel wall of a patient and into the vessel, inserting locker needle members into locker needle lumens in the elongated member, each of said locker needle lumens having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of the elongated member, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis along which the elongated member extends, inserting locker needles through the angled locker needle lumen portions, through the outlet openings and into tissue of the patient and preventing said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall, inserting at least one hollow needle member into at least one first needle lumen of the elongated member on one side of the wound and inserting at least one hollow needle member into at least one first needle lumen of the elongated member on another side of the wound, puncturing the vessel wall by moving the needle member on one side of the wound into a needle lumen portion in the tip, and by moving the needle member on the other side of the wound into the needle lumen portion, passing sutures through the needle members and the needle lumen portion, removing the elongated member from the wound, and closing the wound with the sutures.

Claim 16

A method for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising the steps of inserting a tip of an elongated member through a wound in a vessel wall of a patient and into the vessel, inserting locker needle members into locker needle lumens in the elongated member, each of said locker needle lumens having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of the elongated member, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis along which the elongated member extends, inserting locker needles through the angled locker needle lumen portions, through the outlet openings and into tissue of the patient and preventing said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall, inserting at least one hollow needle member into at least one first needle lumen of the elongated member on one side of the wound and inserting at least one hollow needle member into at least one first needle lumen of the elongated member on another side of the wound, puncturing the vessel wall by moving the needle member on one side of the wound into a needle lumen portion in the tip, and by moving the needle member on the other side of the wound into the needle lumen portion, passing sutures through the needle members and the needle lumen portion, removing the elongated member from the wound, and closing the wound with the sutures.

Claim 21

A method for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising the steps of guiding a tip of an elongated member through a wound in a vessel wall of a patient and into the vessel by sliding the elongated member over a guidewire an a longitudinal axis along which the elongated member extends, the tip being spaced apart from a distal end face of the elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between the elongated member and the tip, inserting locker needle members into locker needle lumens in the elongated member, each of said locker needle lumens having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of the elongated member, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, inserting locker needles through the angled locker needle lumen portions, through the outlet openings and into tissue of the patient and preventing said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall, inserting a first set of at least three hollow needle members into a first group of needle lumens of the elongated member through the vessel wall on one side of the wound, inserting a second set of at least three hollow needle members into a second group of needle lumens of the elongated member through the vessel wall on another side of the wound, wherein said first and second groups of needle lumens are arcuately arranged around a central longitudinal axis of the elongated member in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, whereby after passing through said needle lumens said needle members form corresponding punctures arranged arcuately around the wound, wherein needle lumen portions are disposed in the tip in alignment with said needle lumens, and the needle members of the first and second sets are moved into said needle lumen portions in the tip, passing at least three sutures into the elongated member through the interior of the first set of hollow needle members, into the needle lumen portions in the tip, and out the elongated member through the interior of the second set of hollow needle members, removing the elongated member from the vessel, removing the guidewire from the vessel, and tying the sutures to close the wound.

Claim 22

A method for closing a wound in a vessel wall of a patient, comprising the steps of guiding a tip of an elongated member through a wound in a vessel wall of a patient and into the vessel by sliding the elongated member over a guidewire an a longitudinal axis along which the elongated member extends, the tip being spaced apart from a distal end face of the elongated member along the longitudinal axis to form a recess between the elongated member and the tip, inserting locker needle members into locker needle lumens in the elongated member, each of said locker needle lumens having an outlet opening at an exterior surface of the elongated member, wherein each said outlet opening is spaced a distance above said tip and each said locker needle lumen has a portion that extends to said outlet opening at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, inserting locker needles through the angled locker needle lumen portions, through the outlet openings and into tissue of the patient and preventing said locker needles from contacting the vessel wall, inserting a first set of at least three hollow needle members into a first group of needle lumens of the elongated member through the vessel wall on one side of the wound, inserting a second set of at least three hollow needle members into a second group of needle lumens of the elongated member through the vessel wall on another side of the wound, wherein said first and second groups of needle lumens are arcuately arranged around a central longitudinal axis of the elongated member in a plane extending perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, whereby after passing through said needle lumens said needle members form corresponding punctures arranged arcuately around the wound, wherein needle lumen portions are disposed in the tip in alignment with said needle lumens, and the needle members of the first and second sets are moved into said needle lumen portions in the tip, passing at least three sutures into the elongated member through the interior of the first set of hollow needle members, into the needle lumen portions in the tip, and out the elongated member through the interior of the second set of hollow needle members, removing the elongated member from the vessel, removing the guidewire from the vessel, and tying the sutures to close the wound.