Suturing method, apparatus and system for use in endoscopic procedures

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide methods, apparatus and systems for suturing tissue during endoscopic procedures in a time efficient and precise manner.
Another object of the present invention is to form a suture stitch in tissue by inserting a needle into the tissue to pass a portion of a length of suture material through the tissue from a proximal entry point to a distal exit point, forming a loop in the length of suture material at the exit point, engaging the loop with an anchor of a size to resist passing through the tissue, withdrawing or backing out the needle through the tissue and tensioning the length of suture material to controllably approximate the tissue.
Additional stitches, as required, are formed in the same manner either continuously with a single length of suture material or a plurality of lengths of suture material.
A further object of the present invention is to suture tissue during an endoscopic procedure by manipulating a suturing instrument passing through a first portal in an anatomical cavity wall to reciprocate a needle carrying a length of suture material through the tissue from an entry point to an exit point and back to the entry point to form a loop at the exit point and engaging the loop with an anchor carried by an anchor applier instrument passing through a second portal in the anatomical cavity wall whereby one or more stitches can quickly be placed in the tissue with controlled tension and tissue approximation.
The present invention has another object in that a suturing instrument has a needle formed as a component thereof or integrally therewith to facilitate needle manipulation during endoscopic suturing, a mechanism to permit adjustment of the needle orientation by movement of an elongate operating member relative to a handle of the suturing instrument, an electrical connection to allow use of the needle as a cautery and/or a lumen permitting introduction of other instruments through the suturing instrument