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Devices and method for handling a plurality of suture elements during a suturing procedure
| Details |
Inventors: Isbell, Lewis; Jackson, Jasper; Whitin, Katherine;
Assignee: Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL)
Primary Examiner: Woo; Julian W.
Assistant Examiner:
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Twarowski; Joseph A.
A suture handling device for handling a plurality of suture elements is provided. The suture handling device comprises a body. It further comprises a plurality of passages defined on the body. Each passage has a mouth and an opposed end. The passages are arranged to diverge outwardly relative to one another in a direction away from their mouths, such that when the suture handling device is advanced over a plurality of spaced apart suture elements so that the suture elements enter the mouths and pass along the passages, the suture elements become spaced further apart. Advantageously, the suture handling device can be provided with an engaging formation for engaging the suture elements in the slots after they have been spaced further apart, thereby to retain the suture elements on the device. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION Accordingly, the invention provides a device and method of handling a plurality of suture elements after having been located at a surgical site on a patient body, so as to inhibit opposed portions of the suture elements from becoming mixed up during a suturing procedure and to increase a lateral spacing between the suture elements.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a suture handling device.
The suture handling device comprises a body and a plurality of passages defined on the body.
Each passage has a mouth and an opposed end.
The passages are arranged to diverge outwardly relative to one another in a direction away from the mouths and toward their opposed ends, such that when the suture handling device is advanced laterally over a plurality of spaced apart suture elements so that the suture elements enter the mouths and pass along the passages toward the opposed ends, the suture elements become spaced further apart.
By passing the suture handling device laterally over a plurality of spaced apart suture elements and advancing the suture handling device such that the suture elements travel along the passages, a lateral spacing between the suture elements can be increased.
By increasing the lateral spacing in this fashion, manual pick up of opposed portions of the suture elements so as to tie them together can be made easier.
The suture handling device may comprise an engaging formation arranged to engage the suture elements when at the ends of the passages.
The engaging formation may comprise a slide on the body.
The slide may be displaceable laterally relative to the passages between an engaging condition, in which the slide protrudes into the passages to engage the suture elements in the passages, and a disengaging condition, in which the slide is clear of the passages to be disengaged from the suture elements.
Accordingly, after the suture elements have passed along the passages so as to increase their lateral spacing, the suture elements can be held captive on the device by means of the engaging formation
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