BACKGROUND

Suturing soft tissue is common in a number of surgical procedures. In many cases, the soft tissue must be punctured, and a tool must be used to push or pull the suture through the tissue. Where a suture is being accessed at a location difficult to access or view during the surgery, current surgical tools may require the creation of multiple holes in a given piece of tissue until a tool is placed into contact with the suture and capable of grasping and routing the suture to a desired location.

OVERVIEW

The present inventors have recognized, among other things, that a problem to be solved can include current difficulties in capturing a suture after a puncture in the soft tissue through which the suture is to be routed has been created. The present subject matter can help provide a solution to this problem, such as by providing a suture capture device that allows for a greater degree of freedom for suture opening placement by providing a device that can be rotated to contact a suture that is not immediately proximate the hole in the tissue, and capture the suture via an appropriate mechanism.

In one example, the present description provides a suture capture device that includes an elongate cannulated tool, an elongate hook member and a handle positioned on an end of the elongate tool. The elongate cannulated tool includes a first end that has a sharpened point configured to pierce tissue. The elongate hook member is positioned within a hollowed center region of the elongate cannulated tool and includes a hook on a first end of the elongate hook member proximate the sharpened point of the elongate cannulated tool. The elongate hook member is capable of advancing and retracting within the elongate cannulated tool. The handle is positioned on a second end of the elongate cannulated tool opposite the first end and includes a trigger that advances the hook out of the first end of the elongate cannulated tool when moved in a first direction and retracts the hook into the hollowed portion of the elongate cannulated tool when moved in a second direction opposite the first direction.

In another example, the present description provides a method of capturing a suture. The method includes inserting a first end of an elongate cannulated tool into an incision proximate a suture; advancing an elongate hook member through a hollowed center region of the elongate cannulated tool, a hook of the elongate hook member advancing out a first end of the elongate cannulated tool; engaging the hook with the suture; locking the suture into position with respect to the hook; and moving the suture to a desired position by moving the elongate cannulated tool.

This overview is intended to provide an overview of subject matter of the present patent application. It is not intended to provide an exclusive or exhaustive explanation of the invention. The detailed description is included to provide further information about the present patent application.

