Flexible suture guide and holder
First Claim
1. A combination comprising:
- a biocompatible freely flexible surgical suture guide of predetermined length;
a rigid holder for holding the suture guide in a taut fashion along the length, said holder having guide mounting means defining a surface against which the suture guide is tautly positioned by the releasable retaining means and a handle coupled to the mounting means and formed to be gripped during placement of sutures through the suture guide, the guide mounting means having a shape selected to hold the length of suture guide in a substantially linear configuration with a predetermined dimension;
said releasable retaining means being associated with the holder for releasably holding the freely flexible suture guide in the taut fashion, wherein upon release of the suture guide from the holder by the releasable retaining means, the suture guide resumes flexibility
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Accused Products
Abstract
An assembly for holding a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length in a substantially taut position used to achieve a suture line having a dimension equal to the length of the suture guide, such as the circumference about a heart valve annulus. The assembly includes a rigid suture guide holder having a surface against which the length of suture guide is releasably positioned. The guide holder can have a shape or geometry, such as a circumference or circumferential segment, equivalent to the shape or geometry of the intended suture line. The shape of the guide holder can therefore be selected to hold the suture guide in the shape most advantageous to placing the desired suture line. The assembly further includes a mechanism for releasably binding the suture guide to the surface of the holder and a detachable handle extendibly attached to the holder by means of a lanyard so that the handle can be detached to afford an unobstructed view of the surgical site, but cannot be removed from the surgical site until the holder has also been removed.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A combination comprising:
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a biocompatible freely flexible surgical suture guide of predetermined length; a rigid holder for holding the suture guide in a taut fashion along the length, said holder having guide mounting means defining a surface against which the suture guide is tautly positioned by the releasable retaining means and a handle coupled to the mounting means and formed to be gripped during placement of sutures through the suture guide, the guide mounting means having a shape selected to hold the length of suture guide in a substantially linear configuration with a predetermined dimension; said releasable retaining means being associated with the holder for releasably holding the freely flexible suture guide in the taut fashion, wherein upon release of the suture guide from the holder by the releasable retaining means, the suture guide resumes flexibility - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A suture guide and holder assembly comprising:
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a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length having a suturable covering, wherein the suture guide is a substantially elongated, straight flexible member comprising a substantially flexible inner rib and a woven cloth covering encasing the rib; a rigid body defining a shaped surface against which the suture guide is releasably positioned along said predetermined length; releasable retaining means for tautly and releasably retaining the suture guide against the shaped surface; a handle detachably coupled to the body; and means for tethering the handle to the body. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification