Self-retaining systems having laser-cut retainers

• US 10,420,546 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2011
• Issued: 09/24/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Gross, Jeffrey M., D'Agostino, William L., Drubetsky, Lev, Naimagon, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): Yabut, Diane D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Jamialahmadi, Majid
• Application Number:
  US13/695,089
• Publication Number:
  US 20130238022A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,065 Days
• Field of Search: 606228, 606139, 606232
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0401 Suture anchors, buttons or pledgets, i.e. means for attaching sutures to bone, cartilage or soft tissue; Instruments for applying or removing suture anchors A61B17/0642 takes precedence; fixation devices for tendons or ligaments A61F2/0811
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0644 penetrating the tissue, deformable to closed position
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0417 T-fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0427 having anchoring barbs or pins extending outwardly from the anchor body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06038 soldered, brazed or welded
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3937 Visible markers
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/032 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0652 comprising prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/0665 by beam condensation on the workpiece, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/083 Devices involving movement of the workpiece in at least one axial direction
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/1462 Nozzles; Features related to nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/362 Laser etching
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/04 for holding or positioning work

Abstract

Self-retaining suture systems including a suture thread bearing a plurality of laser-cut retainers are disclosed. A laser system allows the creation of retainers and self-retaining suture systems in configurations which are difficult and/or impossible to achieve using mechanical cutting technology.

Claims

1. A self-retaining suture thread comprising:

(a) a thread surface extending along a central axis;

(b) a plurality of tissue retainers distributed along the thread surface, wherein each tissue retainer comprises;

(i) a tip, and

(ii) at least one tissue engagement surface oriented at a first acute angle relative to the central axis,

wherein each tissue retainer is defined by a respective slot formed in the thread surface, wherein each slot includes an inner side and an outer side that are parallel to one another along at least a portion of the slot; and

(c) a plurality of entrance ramps, wherein each entrance ramp is positioned adjacent to the tip of a respective one of the tissue retainers and is oriented at a second acute angle different than the first acute angle relative to the central axis, wherein the entrance ramps open to the slots and are configured to expose the tips of the tissue retainers to thereby promote engagement of the tissue engagement surfaces with tissue.

2. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein each slot has a uniform thickness along its length.

3. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein the suture thread is no greater than USP 2-0 in size.

4. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein the suture thread is no greater than USP 4-0 in size.

5. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein the suture thread is no greater than USP 6-0 in size.

6. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein the suture thread is no greater than USP 8-0 in size.

7. The self-retaining suture thread of claim 1, wherein the suture thread is no greater than USP 10-0 in size.

8. The self-retaining suture of claim 1, wherein an outer retainer surface of each tissue retainer is spaced apart from the respective tissue engagement surface by the respective tip.

9. A self-retaining suture comprising:

(a) a suture thread having;

(i) a thread surface extending along a longitudinal axis,

(ii) a plurality of slots formed in the thread surface to define a corresponding plurality of tissue retainers, wherein each slot is oriented at a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein each slot has;

(A) an outer side defining a tissue engagement surface of the respective tissue retainer, and

(B) an inner side, wherein the inner side and the outer side are parallel to one another, and

(iii) a plurality of entrance ramps, wherein each entrance ramp is positioned adjacent to an open end of a respective one of the slots, wherein each entrance ramp is oriented at a second acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the second acute angle is different than the first acute angle of the respective slot.

10. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the plurality of slots are laser-cut.

11. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each slot is spaced from the respective outer side of the slot by approximately the same distance along the slot.

12. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each slot is spaced from the respective outer side of the slot by approximately the same distance of 10 μ

m or less along the slot.

13. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each slot is spaced from the respective outer side of the slot by approximately the same distance of 7 μ

m or less along the slot.

14. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each slot is spaced from the respective outer side of the slot by approximately the same distance of 5 μ

m or less along the slot.

15. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the inner side of each slot is spaced from the respective outer side of the slot by approximately the same distance of 3 μ

m or less along the slot.

16. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the suture thread is of a size no greater than USP 4-0.

17. The self-retaining suture of claim 9, wherein the suture thread is of a size no greater than USP 6-0.

18. A self-retaining suture thread comprising:

(a) a longitudinal axis, wherein the longitudinal axis extends through a center of the suture thread along a full length of the suture thread;

(b) a thread surface extending along the longitudinal axis;

(c) a plurality of tissue retainers distributed along the thread surface,

wherein each tissue retainer comprises;

(i) a tip,

(ii) at least one tissue engagement surface, and

(iii) an outer retainer surface configured to extend parallel with the longitudinal axis when the tissue retainer is in a relaxed state,

wherein each tissue retainer is defined at least in part by a respective slot formed in the thread surface; and

(d) a plurality of entrance ramps, wherein each entrance ramp is positioned adjacent to the tip of a respective one of the tissue retainers and in communication with the respective slot, wherein the entrance ramps are configured to expose the tips of the tissue retainers to thereby promote engagement of the tissue engagement surfaces with tissue,

wherein at least a portion of each slot extends along an axis defining a first acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis,

wherein at least a portion of each entrance ramp extends along an axis defining a second acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis, wherein the first and second acute angles are different.

19. The self-retaining suture of claim 18, wherein the at least one tissue engagement surface is a laser-cut surface.

20. The self-retaining suture of claim 18, wherein each slot includes an inner slot side and an outer slot side that extend parallel to one another along at least a portion of the slot, wherein the outer slot side defines the tissue engagement surface.

21. A self-retaining suture comprising:

(a) a suture thread having;

(i) a thread surface extending along a longitudinal axis,

(ii) a plurality of slots formed in the thread surface, wherein each slot has an outer side and an inner side, wherein an angled slot portion of each slot is oriented at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis;

(iii) a plurality of tissue retainers defined by the plurality of slots, wherein each tissue retainer includes a tissue engagement surface defined by the outer side of a respective one of the slots, wherein at least a portion of the tissue engagement surface extends parallel to at least a portion of the inner side of the respective slot, and

(iv) a plurality of entrance ramps, wherein each entrance ramp is positioned adjacent to the inner side of a respective one of the slots, wherein each entrance ramp is oriented at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis of the suture thread that is different than the acute angle of the angled slot portion of the respective slot.