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Publication Number
US-12702396-B2
Publication Date
2026-08-11
Expiration Date
Abstract
A method and apparatus for positioning a locator. The method includes inserting a tissue locator through an opening in a tissue wall, and advancing an engagement member to move a portion of the first arm from a first position to a second position that is separated from a longitudinal axis of the tissue locator by a greater distance than the first position.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a tissue-closure device and method for closing an opening extending through a tissue wall using a tissue locator, an elongate expander, penetrators, and filaments. The tissue locator includes a shaft and arms that pivot laterally away from the shaft when contacted by the elongate expander. Penetrators couple with filament ends supported by the arms and withdraw the filament ends through the tissue wall to transfer them across the opening.
Disclosed configurations include a tissue locator with two resiliently bendable arms supporting a single filament and a four-arm locator supporting two filaments. In four-arm arrangements, filaments drawn across the opening form part of a filament net. The filament net comprises either a hub connected to the filaments or a ring through which the filaments extend. The problem being solved is not explicitly described in patent.
Claims Coverage
The claims identify three independent claims covering three inventive features directed to tissue locator and filament transfer assemblies for closing an opening through a tissue wall.
Two-arm filament transfer through the tissue wall
Claim 1 covers inserting a tissue locator with two resiliently bendable arms through an opening, using an elongate expander to pivot the arms laterally away from the shaft, and advancing penetrators to couple with filament ends supported by the arms. Withdrawing the penetrators through the tissue wall causes the filament ends to uncouple from the arms and draws the filament through the tissue wall.
Four-arm method with a hub-connected filament net
Claim 17 covers a tissue locator with four arms, an elongate expander that pivots the arms laterally away from the shaft, and two filaments removably coupled between arm pairs. Penetrators couple with the filament ends and are withdrawn through the tissue wall to draw the filaments across the opening, wherein the filaments form part of a filament net comprising a hub connected to both filaments.
Four-arm method with a ring-based filament net
Claim 18 covers a tissue locator with four arms, an elongate expander that pivots the arms laterally away from the shaft, and two filaments removably coupled between arm pairs. Penetrators couple with the filament ends and are withdrawn through the tissue wall to draw the filaments across the opening, wherein the filaments form part of a filament net comprising a ring through which both filaments extend.
The independent claims cover two-arm and four-arm tissue-locator methods that use penetrators to draw filament ends through a tissue wall, distinguishing configurations where a filament net includes a hub from those where filaments extend through a ring.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Closing an opening extending through a tissue wall by transferring filament ends across the opening.
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