Suture securement devices

US9498202B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES CORPORATION · US

Inventors

• Mohammad Jafari · Lake Forest, US
• Ming H. Wu · Tustin, US
• Hengchu Cao · Irvine, US
• Ralph Schneider · Penzberg, DE
• Manouchehr A. Miraki · Laguna Hills, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 9, 2013
• Grant date: Nov 22, 2016
• Expiry date: Sep 24, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T24/44923
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Disclosed herein are exemplary embodiments of suture securement devices that replace the need to tie knots in sutures. Some embodiments comprise an annular outer body and one or more suture engagement tabs extending inwardly from the outer body. The devices can comprise a superelastic and/or shape-memory material and have a generally in-plane initial configuration. The suture engagement portions are deformable out-of-plane to an active configuration with the outer body compressed and the tabs interlocked with each other. The device can be heat-set in the deformed configuration. The interlocked tabs exert a pinching force on sutures passing between them that restricts the sutures from sliding through the opening in one longitudinal direction.