	US 7,530,985 B2
	Endoscopic suturing system
Shotaro Takemoto, Tokyo (Japan); Tetsuya Yamamoto, Hanno (Japan); Koichi Kawashima, Hachioji (Japan); Sydney Sheung Chee Chung, Hong Kong (China); Raifu Matsui, Hino (Japan); Takayasu Mikkaichi, Fuchu (Japan); Satoshi Miyamoto, Hachioji (Japan); and Masayuki Iwasaka, Tama (Japan)
Assigned to Olympus Corporation, Tokyo (Japan)
Filed on Oct. 05, 2004, as Appl. No. 10/958,801.
Application 10/958801 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/724814, filed on Dec. 01, 2003, granted, now 7,344,545.
Application 10/724814 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/353866, filed on Jan. 29, 2003.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/352728, filed on Jan. 30, 2002.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/430259, filed on Dec. 02, 2002.
Prior Publication US 2005/0149067 A1, Jul. 07, 2005
Int. Cl. A61B 17/04 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 606—144

2 Claims

1. A treatment device which is fixed to an endoscope, and used together with the endoscope to perform treatment in a body cavity by being operated outside the body, comprising:

a flexible transmission member which has a distal end portion adapted to be inserted into a body cavity with the endoscope, and is capable of being operated outside the body;

a push rod coupled to the distal end portion of the transmission member;

first and second connecting members coupled to the push rod, each of the first and second connecting members having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion rotatably coupled to the push rod;

first and second arm members each having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion rotatably coupled to the distal end portion of a corresponding one of the first and second connecting members;

a holding member which rotatably holds the distal end portion of each of the arm members;

first and second actuating members which are integrally formed with the distal end portions of the first and second arm members and are able to open/close when the transmission member actuates the first and second connecting members and the first and second arm members through the push rod;

wherein one of the first and second actuating members is mounted with an antislip means with respect to a living tissue;

a needle which is mounted on the other of the first and second actuating members and is used to puncture a living tissue;

a thread having ends, one of which is attached to the needle;

recovery means directly attached to the other end of the thread, and which recovers the needle after the needle punctures the living tissue, and is kept located together with the needle in the body; and

an engaging member which is arranged along the transmission member and movable in the axial direction of the transmission member, and engages the recovery means, and

a tubular member, in which the engaging member is slidably received, having a distal end portion and an operation portion located outside the body,

wherein the needle, the thread, and the recovery means are fixed as a single unit to a case in advance of the treatment, and

wherein the first and second actuating members are moved toward the case in a state where they are opened, the needle can be separated from the case, and attached to the other of the first and second actuating members, and the recovery means can be separated from the case, and mounted on the engaging member which is forwarded from the back of one of the first and second actuating members.