Suture cartridge assembly for a surgical knot

US5871490A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc. · US

Inventors

• Dale R. Schulze · Lebanon, US
• Sean P. Conlon · Loveland, US
• Saleem Qureshi · Sharonville, US
• Rudolph H. Nobis · Mason, US
• Bennie Thompson · Blue Ash, US
• Kip M. Rupp · New Richmond, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 25, 1997
• Grant date: Feb 16, 1999
• Expiry date: Jun 25, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61B2017/2931
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A suture cartridge assembly is disclosed. The assembly has a suture cartridge containing a slot for receiving a suture filament and a cartridge top for covering at least a portion of the filament. A grasping jaw faces the cartridge top, and it is movable from an open position spaced from the cartridge top to a closed position adjacent the cartridge top. The slot in the cartridge for receiving the filament facilitates the formation and placement of surgical knots made from the suture filament, particularly when knots are needed at remote surgical sites such as during minimally invasive surgery. The placement and deployment of the knot is further facilitated because the grasping jaw can grasp the filament or the tissue which is desired to be sutured when the jaw is moved from its open to closed positions. The ability to grasp the filament or tissue enables the surgeon to manipulate the filament or tissue during the procedure for deploying and placing the knot, further facilitating the ease with which the surgeon can deploy and place the knots in a minimally invasive procedure.