SURGICAL SUTURING APPARATUS WITH NEEDLE POSITION INDICATOR

摘要

A surgical suturing apparatus includes a suture housing, a needle having a proximal end and a distal end, the needle being mounted within the suture housing for movement about an arcuate path, a drive assembly operably associated wit h the needle for controlling movement of the needle with a suture secured thereto about the arcuate path in a manner facilitating application of the suture to tissu e, and mechanism for determining the position of at least one of the distal end of the needle and the proximal end of the needle at all points along the arcuate path abou t which the needle moves.