Suturing needle

1. A method of directing a needle through a sternum, comprising:

(a) providing a motorized surgical instrument including:

(i) a handle having a proximal end and a distal end, the handle defining an enclosable compartment therein, the enclosable compartment being adjustable from an open condition wherein the compartment is exposed to the environment outside the compartment to an enclosed condition wherein the enclosable compartment defines a sterile barrier that isolates the enclosable compartment from the environment outside the compartment;

(ii) a pusher assembly extending from the distal end of the handle, the pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a drive mechanism at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the drive mechanism is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a split ring suturing needle about a rotational axis through a human sternum; and

(iii) a removable electronic module that is removably disposable in the enclosable compartment, the enclosable compartment forming a sterile barrier around the removable electronic module when the handle is in the enclosed condition, the removable electronic module being controlled by an actuator that mechanically engages the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism, thereby rotating the suturing needle about the rotational axis, the removable electronic module including:

a power source for providing power to the electronic module;

a motor and a gear box adapted to provide a rotational force to rotate the drive shaft and the drive mechanism to rotate the suturing needle; and

an electronics board that controls operation of the electronic module;

(b) positioning the motorized surgical instrument so that it surrounds a front portion and a back portion of a sternum; and

(c) actuating the motorized surgical instrument so that it directs the needle through the sternum.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising pulling a wire suture through the sternum that is attached to a trailing end of the suturing needle.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

(a) releasably engaging a cartridge having a protective housing and a suturing needle to a cartridge holder assembly of the motorized surgical instrument;

(b) wherein positioning the motorized surgical instrument includes positioning the cartridge and the suturing needle to cause an aperture in the cartridge to span said portion of the sternum, wherein a pointed end of the suturing needle is positioned within a protective housing of the cartridge before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about a rotational axis, wherein said portion of the sternum is a first portion of the sternum;

(c) wherein the actuating step includes activating the removable electronic module to in turn actuate the pusher assembly to releasably engage the suturing needle to cause rotational movement of the suturing needle across the aperture in the cartridge and advance the suturing needle through the first bony tissue segment; and wherein the method still further includes:

(d) pulling a suturing material attached to the suturing needle through the sternum that is attached to a trailing end of the needle.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:

(a) placing the motorized surgical instrument having the cartridge and the suturing needle to cause the aperture in the cartridge to span a second portion of the sternum that is separated from the first portion of the sternum;

(b) activating the removable electronic module a second time to cause rotational movement of the suturing needle across the aperture in the cartridge and advance the suturing needle through the second portion of the sternum; and

(c) pulling the suturing material attached to the suturing needle through the second portion of the sternum.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising re-approximating the first and second portions of the sternum by advancing the first and second portions of the sternum toward each other and holding them together by affixing the suturing material.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising twist tying the ends of the suturing material together to maintain the re-approximation of the first and second bony tissue segments.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the suturing material principally includes a metal wire.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the suturing needle covers an arc greater than about 180° and less than about 330° and has an aperture located adjacent to a blunt second end for engaging a suturing material.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electronic module is fully surrounded by an exterior surface of the sternotomy closure device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power source includes a battery pack.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the power source includes an external power supply connected to a handle by a sterilizable cable.