Suture snare with retractable sleeve

摘要

A delivery device (suture passer or suture snare) that may be used in both open and endoscopic surgical procedures. The delivery device is designed with an internal member terminating in a snare and a retractable outer sheath (sleeve). The device is passed through tissue, and the outer sheath is retracted (moved back), allowing the snare to open. The suture is captured by the snare, and the outer sheath is then released so that it returns to its distal position, closing the snare and securing the captured suture. Since the snare is exposed by retracting the outer sheath (sleeve), rather than advancing the snare, the space requirement for the device is reduced, as is the possibility that the snare will undesirably contact sensitive tissue.

主权项

1. A delivery device for a flexible strand, comprising: a handle; an inner member fixedly attached to the handle, the inner member having a proximal end and a distal end; a grasping mechanism provided at the distal end of the inner member; a retractable outer sheath slidably attached to the handle, the outer sheath being configured to be retractable with respect to the handle and to articulate from a first, non-retracted position to a second, retracted position and to expose the grasping mechanism when in the second, retracted position; and an actuating mechanism that retracts the outer sheath from the first, non-retracted position with respect to the handle to the second, retracted position with respect to the handle, to expose and open the grasping mechanism outside the outer sheath to an open, exposed position to allow capturing of a flexible strand and then to return the outer sheath from the second, retracted position to the first, non-retracted position to close the grasping mechanism to a closed, unexposed position wherein the grasping mechanism is housed inside the outer sheath and secure the flexible strand, the actuating mechanism comprising a rack and pinion assembly, and a housing for housing the rack and pinion assembly; and a locking mechanism configured to lock the delivery device at one or more different locking positions, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a slot in a pinion gear of the rack, the slot having a plurality of detents, a pin that is configured to sit in one of the plurality of detents when the pinion is locked, and a return spring that pushes the housing up and down relative to the outer sheath.