Automated heart valve sewing

Abstract

A system that can be used for suturing implants includes a first automated fixture that can comprise an articulation arm and a target device holder and a second automated fixture configured to operate as a sewing machine to sew material onto the implant. The second automated fixture uses a curved needle to form a stitch without having to release the needle in the process. The second automated fixture can also include a stitch looper that moves in coordination with the curved needle to perform a single-suture or single-thread stitch.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of suturing an implant device, the method comprising:
 directing a first automated fixture to position an implant device in a first position;   directing a second automated fixture to perform a first portion of a suturing procedure by performing the following:
 passing a needle through a material being sutured to the implant device at a first insertion point, the needle including an eye that secures a suture that sutures the material to the implant device; 
 advancing a stitch looper between a portion of the suture and the needle; 
 withdrawing the needle through the first insertion point with the portion of the suture wrapped around the stitch looper to maintain the portion of the suture on an opposite side of the material as the needle after it is withdrawn; and 
 rotating the stitch looper with the portion of the suture wrapped around the stitch looper to form a loop in the suture; 
   directing the first automated fixture to position the implant device in a second position; and   directing the second automated fixture to perform a second portion of the suturing procedure by performing the following:
 passing the needle through the material at a second insertion point such that the needle passes through the loop formed in the portion of the suture held by the stitch looper; and 
 withdrawing the stitch looper such that the portion of the suture held by the stitch looper slides off the stitch looper and the loop formed in the portion of the suture previously held by the stitch looper tightens around a portion of the suture held by the needle, thereby forming a stitch in the material at or near the first insertion point. 
   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the implant device is a prosthetic heart valve. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein to position the implant device in the second position, the first automated fixture circumferentially rotates the implant device in place. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein to position the implant device in the second position, the first automated fixture circumferentially moves the implant device in an axial direction. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising loading a pre-programmed suturing procedure script using one or more processors configured to at least partially control the first automated fixture and the second automated fixture. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the needle comprises a curved needle. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the needle passes through the material and is withdrawn through the material along a fixed path. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stitch looper includes two or more tines. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a single gearing system of the second automated fixture is configured to control movement of both the needle and the stitch looper. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stitch looper rotates at least half a rotation to form the loop. 
     
     
         11 . A suturing system comprising:
 a first automated fixture comprising a plurality of motorized actuator devices and a suture target holder, the first automated fixture being configured to rotate the target suture device when mounted to the suture target holder; and   a second automated fixture comprising a plurality of motorized actuator devices, a needle, and a stitch looper, the plurality of motorized actuators configured to move the needle in a fixed path and to move the stitch looper in a fixed path and to rotate the stitch looper, the plurality of motorized actuators configured to coordinate movement of the needle and the stitch looper to form a plurality of stitches on the target suture device,   wherein the first automated fixture and the second automated fixture execute a suturing procedure that includes:
 moving the target suture device to a first position; 
 passing the needle through a material being sutured to the target suture device at a first insertion point, the needle including an eye that secures a suture that sutures the material to the implant device; 
 advancing the stitch looper between a portion of the suture and the needle; 
 withdrawing the needle through the first insertion point with the portion of the suture wrapped around the stitch looper to maintain the portion of the suture on an opposite side of the material as the needle after it is withdrawn; 
 rotating the stitch looper with the portion of the suture wrapped around the stitch looper to form a loop in the suture; 
 moving the target suture device to a second position; 
 passing the needle through the material at a second insertion point such that the needle passes through the loop formed in the portion of the suture held by the stitch looper; and 
 withdrawing the stitch looper such that the portion of the suture held by the stitch looper slides off the stitch looper and the loop formed in the portion of the suture previously held by the stitch looper tightens around a portion of the suture held by the needle, thereby forming a stitch in the material at or near the first insertion point. 
   
     
     
         12 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the target suture device is a heart valve. 
     
     
         13 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the first automated fixture and the second automated fixture are arranged relative to each other and configured such that the first automated fixture can move the target suture device in three dimensions to position the target suture device so that the fixed path of the needle intersects the target suture device at a targeted location. 
     
     
         14 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the second automated fixture further includes a tensioning device that can keep the suture in a state of constant tension when implementing the suturing procedure. 
     
     
         15 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the first automated fixture is configured to move the target suture device in at least four directions. 
     
     
         16 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the first automated fixture comprises an articulation arm. 
     
     
         17 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein movement of the needle is locked to movement of the stitch looper. 
     
     
         18 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the stitch looper moves along a second fixed path that includes rotation of the stitch looper to form the loop using the portion of the suture. 
     
     
         19 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , the stitch looper rotates at least half a rotation to form the loop. 
     
     
         20 . The suturing system of  claim 11 , wherein the stitch looper includes two or more tines.