Apparatus and method for closing puncture wounds

DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for performing suture closure of wounds and other puncture openings in tissue.
The apparatus and method of the present invention provide a technique for threading the ends of a suture into the body through the tissue surrounding a puncture opening or wound, for capturing the suture ends inside the body, and for looping the ends out of the body through the wound so as to create a suture loop which, upon tightening, reapposes the tissue.
Other devices for retrieving the ends of a suture inside a body and for looping the ends through the wound and out of the body are shown and described in U.
S.
application Ser.
No.
08/100,926 which is incorporated herein by reference.
Inventions of this type are especially suitable for closing deep wounds and puncture openings that penetrate the fascial layer.
The invention utilizes a capturing member pivotally attached to the end of an elongate member and which is inserted through a trocar sheath positioned in the wound and into the body cavity underlying the wound.
Once inside the body cavity, the capturing member is pivoted into a position in which it extends laterally from the elongate member, where it receives the ends of a suture passed through the tissue surrounding the wound.
Once it has received the suture ends, the capturing member is withdrawn out of the wound, carrying the ends of the suture out of the wound to tighten the suture and close the opening in the tissue.