Placing sutures
A suturing instrument including multiple needle and suture assemblies that are at least partially disposed within the suturing instrument allows a surgeon to place multiple sutures intercorporally without having to remove the instrument from a surgical site and reload the instrument between placing each suture. The suturing instrument includes an elongate body member that includes a distal portion defining an opening. The suturing instrument further includes a first needle disposed within the opening, a second needle disposed within the opening, and a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member and connectable sequentially to the first needle and the second needle.
1. A suturing instrument comprising:
an elongate body member including a distal portion defining a needle compartment configured to store at least two needles, the distal portion of the elongate body member being rotatable relative to a remainder of the elongate body member;
a needle deployment mechanism disposed at least partially within the elongate body member, the needle deployment mechanism including a needle carrier that is configured to sequentially connect to the at least two needles; and
a needle catch configured to sequentially receive and capture the at least two needles.
2. The suturing instrument of claim 1 further comprising a handle disposed opposite the distal portion of the elongate body member.
3. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the elongate body member is adapted to access organs or tissue within a body of a patient.
4. The suturing instrument of claim 1 wherein the needle carrier defines a lumen configured to sequentially receive each of the at least two needles.
5. The suturing instrument of claim 1 , further comprising the at least two needles loaded into the needle compartment.
6. The suturing instrument of claim 5 wherein each of the at least two needles has a suture attached thereto.