System for providing surgical access

Abstract

One embodiment is directed to a system for providing surgical access across a wall of a tissue structure, comprising: a delivery member having proximal and distal ends; a plurality of helical members, each having proximal and distal ends and a helical shape, each proximal end coupled to the delivery member distal end, each distal end extending distally of the delivery member distal end; a plurality of anchor members removably coupled to the helical member distal ends; and a plurality of suture members coupled distally to a portion of one of the anchor members and extending proximally to a position wherein at least a portion of each may be freely manipulated by an operator; wherein upon rotation of the delivery member in a first direction, the helical members and coupled anchor members are advanced across at least a portion of the wall of the tissue structure, pulling along the distal portions of the suture members in a deployed suture pattern which remains coupled to the anchor member.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION DATA[0001]The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119 to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. Nos. 61 / 384,659, filed Sep. 20, 2010, and 61 / 484,175, filed May 9, 2011. The foregoing applications are hereby incorporated by reference into the present application in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]This invention is related generally to tissue structure access and wound closure systems, and more particularly to configurations for accessing and closing walls of tissue structures, such as the walls of the cavities of the heart during a trans-apical procedure.BACKGROUND[0003]Minimally invasive diagnostic and interventional procedure prevalence in US and foreign hospitals continues to increase, as does the demand for certain procedures which involve placement of relatively large devices into targeted locations within tissue structures of criticality. Procedures such as aortic valve replacement conventionally have been addressed with open...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The patent describes a system for creating a surgical access through a wall of tissue. The system includes a delivery member, helical members, anchor members, and suture members. The delivery member is rotated to push the helical members through the wall of tissue, creating a helical pattern of suture in the tissue. The helical members are designed to slide through the tissue and leave a helical pathway in the tissue. The system can be used to create a helical pattern of suture that is greater than one helical turn or less than three helical turns. The system can also be used to create a helical pattern of suture that is greater than one helical turn or less than three helical turns in a tissue structure. The system can be used in a variety of surgical procedures and can be easily manipulated by an operator."

Problems solved by technology

Conventional transapical closure techniques typically involve the placement of small sutures to create a purse-string type effect to close the wound as the instrumentation is withdrawn, and it may be very difficult to repeatably create acceptable closures using these techniques without a larger thoracotomy or improved instrumentation.

In other words, one of the key challenges to transapical intervention remains transapical wound closure.

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