SELF-RETAINING SYSTEMS FOR SURGICAL PROCEDURES

• US 20080255612A1
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson), NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: Angiotech Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
• Inventors: Hunter, William L.
• Application Number:
  US12/062,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20080255612A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/228
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0469 Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00526 Methods of manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49995 Shaping one-piece blank by removing material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/02 Other than completely through work thickness

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to self-retaining systems for surgical procedures, methods of manufacturing self-retaining systems for surgical procedures, and their uses.

Claims

1. A self-retaining suture that can be inserted into tissue comprising:

a suture body;

a first helical escarpment formed in a first direction in the suture body;

a second helical escarpment formed in a second direction in the suture body;

said first helical escarpment intersecting said second helical escarpment in order to form a plurality of retainers in the suture body, with each retainer being deployable to a position expanded from the suture body.

2. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

each retainer includes an escarpment apex formed at the intersection of said first helical escarpment and said second helical escarpment.

3. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said first helical escarpment includes a first tissue penetrating edge; and

said second helical escarpment includes a second tissue penetrating edge.

4. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said first helical escarpment includes a first tissue penetrating edge; and

said second helical escarpment includes a second tissue penetrating edge; and

said first tissue penetrating edge intersects said second tissue penetrating edge to form an escapement point that is adapted to penetrate tissue.

5. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said retainers are substantially evenly distributed over at least a portion of said suture body.

6. The suture of claim 2 wherein:

said each escapement point is rounded.

7. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said first helical escarpment is chirally opposed to said second helical escarpment.

8. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said suture body has a first end and a second end

wherein said plurality of retainers each include a first escarpment apex at the intersection of the first helical escarpment and said second helical escarpment;

wherein each first escarpment apex points toward said first end;

a third helical escarpment formed in a third direction in the suture body;

a fourth helical escarpment formed in a fourth direction in the suture body;

said third helical escarpment intersecting said fourth helical escarpment in order to form a plurality of another retainers in said suture body, with each another retainer being deployable to a position expanded from said suture body;

wherein said plurality of another retainers each include a second escarpment apex at the intersection of the third helical escarpment and said fourth helical escarpment; and

wherein each second escarpment apex points toward said second end.

9. The suture of claim 8 wherein said suture body includes a transition segment between the plurality of retainers and the plurality of another retainers.

10. The suture of claim 9 wherein said transition segment has a diameter that is larger than the diameter of either the first end of the suture body and the second end of the suture body.

11. The suture of claim 1 wherein:

said suture body has a first end;

each retainer includes an escarpment apex formed at the intersection of said first helical escarpment and said second helical escarpment and said escarpment apex is directed away from said first end; and

said first end of said suture body has a first diameter;

the suture body has a second diameter located distally from the first end; and

said second diameter is larger than said first diameter.

12. The suture of claim 8 wherein said third helical escarpment and said fourth helical escarpment are chirally opposed.

13. The suture of claim 8 wherein said plurality of retainers and said plurality of another retainers are distributed substantially evenly.

14. The suture of claim 1 wherein said plurality of retainers define scales.

15. The suture of claim 1 including a coating consisting of at least one selected from the class consisting of anti-proliferative agents, anti-angiogenic agents, anti-infective agents, fibrosis-inducing agents, anti-scarring agents, lubricious agents, echogenic agents, anti-inflammatory agents, cell cycle inhibitors, analgesics, and anti-microtubule agents.

16. The suture of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first escarpment and the second escarpment include an uneven surface.

17. The suture of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first escarpment and the second escarpment is formed by one of a cutting blade, a grinding wheel, an abrasive surface.

18. The suture of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first escarpment and the second escarpment is treated with an agent selected from the class consisting of abrasives, polymerisers, and etchants.

19. A self-retaining suture that can be inserted into tissue comprising:

a suture body;

a first helical escarpment formed in a first direction in the suture body and said first helical escarpment includes a first tissue penetrating edge;

a second helical escarpment formed in a second direction in the suture body and said second helical escarpment includes a second tissue penetrating edge;

said first helical escarpment intersecting said second helical escarpment in order to form a plurality of retainers in the suture body, with each retainer being deployable to a position expanded from the suture body and

wherein each said retainers includes a portion of said first tissue penetrating edge and a portion of said second tissue penetrating edge.

20. A method to form a self-retaining suture comprising the steps of:

first cutting a first helical escarpment in a first direction in the body of a suture;

second cutting a second helical escarpment in second direction in the body of a suture;

wherein said second cutting step causes the second helical escarpment to intersect the first helical escarpment in order to form a plurality of retainers in the suture body.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the first cutting step and the second cutting step are simultaneous.

21. The method of 20 wherein:

the first cutting step cuts a first tissue penetrating edge in the first helical escarpment;

the second cutting step cuts a second tissue penetrating edge in the second helical escarpment; and

the second cutting step causes the second tissue penetrating edge to intersect the first tissue penetrating edge.