APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR TISSUE CLOSURE
A tissue closure device includes a pusher assembly having a drive arm extending from a drive shaft and a needle driver at a distal end of the drive arm, wherein the needle driver is capable of releasably engaging and rotating a suturing needle having a pointed end and a blunt end about a rotational axis and a cartridge having a protective housing and the suturing needle, the cartridge extending from a distal end of a cartridge holder assembly and releasably attached to the cartridge holder assembly. A pointed end of the suturing needle may be positioned within the protective housing before and after a complete rotation of the suturing needle about the rotational axis. A removable electronic module may be provided controlled by an actuator that mechanically engages the drive shaft to rotate the drive shaft and the needle driver, thereby rotating the suturing needle about the rotational axis.
1 . An automated surgical suturing device, comprising:
a needle defined at least in part by a leading end, a trailing end, an arced body between the leading and trailing ends, and at least one engagement surface formed into the needle;
a length of suture material connected to the needle; and
a needle rotation drive including an electric motor that reciprocates between a driven position and a returned position, the needle rotation drive being adapted to engage the at least one engagement surface of the needle to rotate the needle in a circular path in a first rotational direction along a circular needle track defined by a portion of the suturing device, wherein the leading end of the suturing needle is positioned within a protective housing of the surgical suturing device after a complete rotation of the suturing needle; and
a control system for operating said needle rotation drive, said control system including a controller including a processor, said controller being operably coupled to a Hall Effect sensor, said Hall Effect sensor being configured and arranged to detect the rotational position of a portion of the needle rotation drive.
2 . The surgical suturing device of claim 1 , wherein passage of a magnet disposed on said portion of said needle rotation drive past said Hall Effect sensor induces the Hall Effect sensor to send a signal to the controller that the needle will be stopping.
3 . The surgical suturing device of claim 2 , wherein an applied torque level of said electric motor is reduced by said controller in response to said signal.
4 . The surgical suturing device of claim 3 , wherein said electric motor continues to drive said needle to a stopping point at said reduced applied torque level.
5 . The surgical suturing device of claim 4 , wherein the controller shuts off electrical power to said electric motor in response to a current spike caused by the electric motor not turning any further as a result of reaching the stopping point.
6 . The surgical suturing device of claim 1 , wherein the needle is disposed in a removable cartridge that is removably attached to a cartridge holder assembly of the surgical suturing device.
7 . The surgical suturing device of claim 2 , wherein the cartridge holder assembly is configured to releasably engage the cartridge and to bring the needle rotation drive into operational contact with the suturing needle.
8 . The suturing device of claim 1 , wherein the needle is disposed within a disposable portion of the suturing device.
9 . The suturing device of claim 10 , wherein the disposable portion of the suturing device includes a removable cartridge.
10 . The suturing device of claim 1 , wherein the device defines a window near a distal end of the device that facilitates viewing of the suturing needle as it is advanced along the needle track.
11 . The suturing device of claim 1 , wherein the needle rotation drive includes a drive shaft.
12 . The suturing device of claim 11 , wherein the needle rotation drive further includes a flexible joint coupled to the drive shaft configured to transmit torque.
13 . The suturing device of claim 1 , further comprising a drive shaft configured to transmit torque through a flexible joint.