Method of forming barbs on a suture and apparatus for performing same

• US 20040237736A1
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Quill Medical, Inc. (Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Incorporated)
• Inventors: Williams, Robert C. III, Genova, Perry A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,225,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 83/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/064 Surgical staples, i.e. penetrating the tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: B21J 5/068 Shaving, skiving or scarifying for forming lifted portions, e.g. slices or barbs, on the surface of the material
• CPC Class Codes: B26D 3/08 Making a superficial cut in the surface of the work without removal of material, e.g. scoring, incising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/20 Fence barb making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/02 Other than completely through work thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0333 Scoring
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0341 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0385 Rotary scoring blade
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/04 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/202 With product handling means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/4607 With rotary work-carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/896 Rotatable wound package supply

Abstract

A method of making a barbed suture by varying the blade geometry and/or the movement of the blade when cutting a suture is disclosed. The method can also be accomplished with a cutting device to create a plurality of barbs on the exterior of surgical suture. The barbs produced using the method with the cutting device can be the same or random configurations.

Claims

1. A method of cutting barbs on a suture having a longitudinal axis, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a suture;

providing a cutting blade;

creating a barb on said suture by the motion of the blade which takes into account a cutting action by the blade on the suture in three dimensions along x-y-z axes of the suture caused by blade geometry in conjunction with blade motion; and

providing a means for moving the blade to cause said cutting action to create the barb.

2. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the blade geometry causes a cutting action on the suture along two axes with the motion of the blade causing a cutting action along the remaining axis.

3. The method as described in claim 2 wherein the y-axis is the longitudinal axis of the suture, the x-axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the z-axis is at 90°

with respect to the x-axis.

4. The method as described in claim 3 wherein the blade geometry causes the cutting action along the y and z axes with the blade motion causing the cutting action along the x-axis.

5. The method as described in claim 4 which includes the further step of providing a plurality of blades each of which creates a respective barb on the suture.

6. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the blade geometry causes a cutting action on the suture along one axis with the motion of the blade causing a cutting action along the remaining two axes.

7. The method as described in claim 6 wherein the y-axis is the longitudinal axis of the suture, the x-axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the z-axis is at 90°

with respect to the x-axis.

8. The method as described in claim 7 wherein the blade geometry causes the cutting action along the z-axis with the blade motion causing the cutting action along the x and y axes.

9. The method as described in claim 8 which includes the further step of providing a plurality of blades each of which creates a respective barb on the suture.

10. The method as described in claim 1 wherein the y-axis is the longitudinal axis of the suture, the x-axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the z-axis is at 90°

with respect to the x-axis.

11. The method as described in claim 10 wherein the motion of the blade a cutting action on the suture along the x-y-z axes.

12. The method as described in claim 11 which includes the further step of providing a plurality of blades each of which creates a respective barb on the suture.

13. The method as described in claim 1 which includes the further step of twisting said suture along its longitudinal axis prior to cutting.

14. The method as described in claim 13 which includes the further step of untwisting said suture after cutting.

15. The method as described in claim 1 which includes the further step of rotating said suture about its longitudinal axis before or after cutting.

16. The method as described in claim 1 which includes the further step of articulating said cutting blade.

17. The method as described in claim 1 which includes the further step of advancing said suture along its longitudinal axis before or after cutting.

18. An apparatus for cutting barbs on a suture according to the method of claim 5, said apparatus comprising:

a cutting bed on which a suture is maintained in place during cutting;

a blade assembly comprising a plurality of cutting blades having a geometry; and

means for moving said blade assembly in a predetermined manner along the x-axis of the suture at a plurality of locations with the movement of the blades and the blades'"'"' geometry producing a plurality of barbs on said suture.

19. An apparatus for cutting barbs on a suture according to the method of claim 9, said apparatus comprising:

a cutting bed on which a suture is maintained in place during cutting;

a blade assembly comprising a plurality of cutting blades having a geometry; and

means for moving said blade assembly in a predetermined manner in the x and y axes of the suture at a plurality of locations with the movement of the blades and the blades'"'"' geometry producing a plurality of barbs on said suture.

20. An apparatus for cutting barbs on a suture according to the method of claim 12, said apparatus comprising:

a cutting bed on which a suture is maintained in place during cutting;

a blade assembly comprising a plurality of cutting blades; and

means for moving said cutting blade assembly in a predetermined manner in the x and y and z axes of the suture at a plurality of locations with the movement of the blades producing a plurality of barbs on said suture.

21. An apparatus for cutting barbs on a suture according to the method of claim 13, said apparatus comprising:

a cutting bed on which a suture is maintained in place during cutting, said suture having x-y-z axes wherein the y-axis is a longitudinal axis of the suture, the x-axis is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and the z-axis is at 90°

with respect to the x-axis;

means for causing a blade assembly to contact the suture in a predetermined manner; and

a blade assembly comprising a plurality of cutting blades having a geometry; and

means for moving said cutting at least one blades in a predetermined manner across long the x-axis of the suture at a plurality of locations with the movement of the blades and the blades'"'"' geometry producing a plurality of barbs on said suture.

22. An apparatus for cutting barbs on a suture having a longitudinal axis, said apparatus comprising:

a cutting bed on which the suture is maintained in place during cutting;

at least one blade;

means for moving said at least one blade in a predetermined manner across the suture with the movement or geometry of said at least one blade producing at least one barb on said suture.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising means for twisting the suture along its longitudinal axis prior to cutting.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising means for rotating the suture about its longitudinal axis before or after cutting.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 further comprising means for advancing the suture along its longitudinal axis before or after cutting.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said at least one blade is an articulating blade.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said at least one blade is a reciprocating blade.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said at least one blade is a rotating blade.

29. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said at least one blade is a hollow ground blade.

30. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for moving said at least one blade comprises a cutting template.

31. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said means for moving said at least one blade comprises a solenoid.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said solenoid is a linear solenoid.

33. The apparatus of claim 31 wherein said solenoid is a rotary solenoid.

34. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said cutting bed is a rotating drum.

35. A method of cutting a barb on a suture, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a suture having a longitudinal axis;

twisting said suture along its longitudinal axis; and

cutting a barb on said suture when in its twisted state.

36. The method in accordance with claim 35 which includes the further step of cutting a plurality of barbs on said suture when in its twisted state.

37. The method in accordance with claim 35 which includes the further step of advancing said suture along its longitudinal axis before or after cutting.