SURGICAL INSTRUMENT FOR FORMING A KNOT

摘要

A surgical instrument for forming a fully tied knot to fasten bodily tissue is d isclosed. The instrument has a handle assembly for actuating first and second actuator. Th e first actuator remotely effects movement of a grasping jaw from an open position to a closed position relative to a suture cartridge contained in a cartridge carrier at the distal end of the instrument. Accordingly, the first actuator is capable of causing the manipulation of bodily tissue or suture filament contained in the suture cartrid ge. The second actuator is operatively connected to the suture filament in the suture ca rtridge. A portion of the suture filament is configured into a partially tied knot, and w hen the second actuator is actuated, it causes the proximal end of the filament to be pu lled for converting the partially tied knot into a fully formed knot. Consequently, the instrument is particularly desirable during endoscopic surgery where the bodily tissue and the suture filament need to be manipulated remotely, and the conversion of t he partially tied knot into the fully formed knot must also be carried out remotely to fasten the targeted tissue.