Ethicon Endo-surgery, Inc.

Ron J Brinkerhoff

InBae Yoon

David Stefanchik

John E Burbank, Iii

A surgical device is described for assisting a surgeon in suturing bodily tissue using a curved, surgical needle with a suture filament attached. The surgical device comprises a handle, an elongated shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis extending in between. The device further comprises a stationary arm having a first holder fixedly attached to and extending from the distal end of the shaft, and used for operationally engaging with the needle. The device also has a movable arm having a second holder extending from the distal end of the shaft and rotatable around the longitudinal axis of the device. The movable arm also is operationally engageable with the needle. An actuator is provided for cooperatively actuating the first and second holders, so as to be able to pass a needle along a circular path transverse to the longitudinal axis of the device through the tissue, and thus place the suture filament into the tissue.

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New Richmond, OH, United States of America

Ron J Brinkerhoff