Laparoscopic fascial closure system

Abstract

A tissue closure device to assist in retrieving a suture during a suturing procedure, the device including an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending axially through the elongated body. The device further including an actuator rod at least partially extending through the lumen of the elongated body to actuate a plurality of wings and a plurality of shields attached to a distal end of the elongated body. The elongated body including at least one needle guide lumen with an opening an exit, the at least one needle guide lumen traversing the elongated body at an angle with respect to a central axis of the elongated body to guide a suture grasper to an enclosed suture retrieval cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A tissue closure device comprising:
 a suture;   an elongated body defining at least two guide lumens, each guide lumen having an opening and an exit defined by the elongated body, each guide lumen traversing the elongated body;   at least two wings pivotally connected to a distal portion of the elongated body, each of the wings configured to pivot from:
 (a) a first collapsed position being parallel to a central longitudinal axis of the elongated body to 
 (b) a deployed position being laterally away from the central longitudinal axis of the elongated body, and 
   an actuator configured to move the at least two wings from the collapsed position to the deployed position;   the suture being supported by the at least two wings in the deployed position and further being supported by a distal end portion of the tissue closure device.