1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the medical device, and more particularly to a suture passer with retractable needle sheath that permits a medical practitioner to selectively expose the needle as needed or to cover the needle tip to prevent accidental damage to ancillary tissues when performing surgery.
2. Description of the Related Art
Endoscopic surgery is a relatively newly developed surgical technique that reduces the size of access openings that are necessary to be cut in the body of the patient, and thus greatly reduces the risks involved in surgical procedures. Endoscopic surgery involves the use of manipulative surgical instruments that are capable of performing various incising, cauterizing, stitching, and other operations within a bodily cavity while being manipulated remotely by the surgeon. The opening in the body is created generally via the umbilicus for abdominal operations, in order to minimize surgical trauma to the patient and to minimize post-operative scarring.
One of the surgical instruments used in such procedures is the stitch passer, a device that is used to close various abdominal layers (peritoneum, etc.) by stitching during laparoscopic surgery. Such stitch passers generally have a relatively sharp needle at their distal ends, for penetrating tissue in order to pass a suture through the tissue. This technique clearly requires a highly experienced and skilled surgeon capable of working through an umbilical or other small incision. Even so, it is possible for the surgeon to inadvertently puncture or otherwise damage an internal organ (intestine, etc.) when performing some other surgery (appendectomy, etc.) due to the exposed sharp tip of the stitch passer needle.
Endoscopic suture passers having exposed needles have been developed in the past, as noted further above. An example of such is found in Chinese Patent Publication No. 203436355 published on Feb. 19, 2014 to Meng Qinghua. This reference describes (according to the drawings, English abstract, and English machine translation) a suture and knot-tying device having an outer tube, a retractable and extendible inner tube, and a needle sleeve disposed within the front end of the inner tube. The rear portion of a suture needle is disposed within the needle sleeve, with the forward portion of the needle extending therefrom.
Thus, a suture passer with retractable needle sheath solving the aforementioned problems is desired.