Surgery – Instruments – Suturing needle
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-05
2001-11-27
Recla, Henry J. (Department: 3731)
Surgery
Instruments
Suturing needle
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322582
ABSTRACT:
The invention relates to surgical needles receiving a suture thread.
Document U.S. Pat. No. 4,922,904 discloses a device for fixing a thread to a surgical needle. This device includes four punches which can move by sliding in the direction of one and the same point and are arranged in a cross formation. A needle, with a hollow end for receiving a thread which is to be fixed to the needle, is positioned at this point. The four punches then come simultaneously into contact with the needle so as to deform its wall, giving it a square cross-section, and thus crimp the thread in the needle.
However, this device has certain disadvantages. It requires a relatively large number of punching steps to guarantee effective fixing of the thread. It follows from this that it is necessary either to use a corresponding number of punches, something which takes up a lot of space and is expensive, or else to turn the needle between two punching steps, which leads to imprecise positioning under the different impacts. Moreover, this device alters the shape of the needle at the level of the punched section, in particular generating sharp edges.
It is an object of the invention to make available a device permitting a reduction in the number of punching steps needed for the needle, and preserving the general shape of the needle at the punching location.
With a view of achieving this object, the invention provides a device for fixing a thread to a surgical needle, including a bearing piece and a punch which is movable in the direction of the bearing piece, in which the bearing piece has a housing adapted to receive a needle so as to immobilize it when the punch comes into contact with the needle.
Thus, the point of impact of the punch on the needle is obtained with precision, and any sliding of the punch on the needle during impact is avoided. This results in much more effective punching with a view to fixing the thread to the needle. In particular, it is possible, without any danger of sliding, to use a punch with a conical end in order to bring a part of the wall of the needle into the thread. Moreover, the general shape of the needle is preserved. It is also possible to reduce the number of punching steps necessary for each needle in this way. This device additionally obviates the need to rotate the needle between two punching steps.
The device according to the invention will also be able to have one or more of the following characteristics:
the punch is movable in the direction of the housing;
the bearing piece is designed so that the needle rests by gravity in the housing;
the bearing piece being a first bearing piece, the device includes a second bearing piece adapted so that the two bearing pieces immobilize the needle, in particular when the punch is not in contact with the needle;
the housing being a first housing, the second bearing piece has a second housing adapted to receive the needle;
the punch is movable through the second bearing piece;
the punch is movable in the second housing;
the punch being a first punch, the device includes a second punch which is movable through the bearing piece;
the second punch is movable in the housing;
the punch or at least one of the punches has an end of conical shape.
The invention also provides a method for fixing a thread to a surgical needle, in which method a needle receiving a thread is immobilized and the needle is punch, and in which the needle is immobilized in such a way that the position of a portion of the needle undergoing punching is predetermined.
This method can be implemented using the device according to the invention.
Advantageously, the needle is immobilized prior to the punching.
Advantageously, a portion of the needle undergoing punching is immobilized.
Advantageously, two zones of the needle are punched simultaneously.
Finally, the invention provides a surgical needle equipped with a thread fixed by means of the method according to the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2728343 (1955-12-01), Everett
patent: 3910282 (1975-10-01), Messer et al.
patent: 3980177 (1976-09-01), McGregor
patent: 4680823 (1987-07-01), Jeal
patent: 5230352 (1993-07-01), Putnam et al.
patent: 5350373 (1994-09-01), Colligan
patent: 591994 A2 (1994-04-01), None
patent: 455640 A (1913-08-01), None
patent: 1101669 A (1968-01-01), None
Descoueit Jacques
Richard Francois
Bui Vy Q.
Ethicon Inc.
Recla Henry J.
Skula Emil Richard
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