Flexible suture guide and holder
First Claim
1. A suture guide and holder assembly comprising:
- a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length having a suturable covering;
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
a spool of a length of filamentous material secured at one end to the body and at an opposite end to the handle wherein the spool is housed within a cavity in the handle.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
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.
227 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A suture guide and holder assembly comprising:
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a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length having a suturable covering; 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 a spool of a length of filamentous material secured at one end to the body and at an opposite end to the handle wherein the spool is housed within a cavity in the handle. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A suture guide and holder assembly comprising:
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a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length having a suturable covering; 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; wherein the retaining means comprises at least one filamentous strand that selectively stitches together respective ends of the suture guide and is attached to the body. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A suture guide and holder assembly comprising:
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a substantially flexible suture guide of predetermined length having a suturable covering; 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; means for tethering the handle to the body; wherein the body comprises a holder formed with an outwardly facing surface against which the suture guide is positioned, said surface including one or more depressions for receiving a portion of the suture guide, and wherein the releasable retaining means includes at least a first thread affixed at both ends to the holder with a first portion passing at least partially through the suture guide, with the thread ends being affixed to the holder to expose at least one further portion of the thread that, when dissected, allows the suture guide to be freely released from the holder, and wherein the suture guide resumes free flexibility upon release from the holder. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14)
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Specification