Load assist device for a suture cartridge
First Claim
1. A load assist device for facilitating the loading of a suture cartridge onto a cartridge carrier of a surgical instrument, said device comprising:
- a) a cartridge casing having;
i) an interior cartridge storage space therein,ii) a carrier aperture, andiii) an interior carrier channel defining a passageway between said carrier aperture and said storage space; and
b) a suture cartridge loaded into said interior storage space of said cartridge casing, said cartridge containing a suture filament for tying a knot during a surgical procedure and a jaw movable from an open position to a closed position;
wherein the cartridge carrier of the surgical instrument may be inserted into said carrier aperture for passage through said carrier channel in a loading direction to said cartridge storage space for loading said suture cartridge onto the cartridge carrier, and the loaded cartridge carrier may be withdrawn from said cartridge storage space for passage through said carrier channel in an unloading direction for withdrawal from said carrier aperture.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A load assist device for facilitating the loading of a suture cartridge onto a cartridge carrier of a surgical instrument is disclosed. The device has a cartridge casing and a suture cartridge loaded into an interior storage space of the cartridge casing. The suture cartridge contains a suture filament for tying a surgical knot. When a cartridge carrier of a surgical instrument is inserted into an aperture for receiving the cartridge within the cartridge casing, the carrier passes through a carrier channel inside the casing until it reaches the cartridge storage space for loading the suture cartridge onto the cartridge carrier. The loaded cartridge carrier may then be withdrawn from the cartridge storage space for withdrawal from the cartridge casing. The device helps the surgeon or the operating room assistant with loading a suture cartridge onto a surgical instrument for the eventual deployment of a knot during surgery, and avoids some of the pitfalls inherent in loading, unloading and reloading suture cartridges onto the surgical instruments during procedures where it is necessary or desirable to place several knots for fastening tissue.
494 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A load assist device for facilitating the loading of a suture cartridge onto a cartridge carrier of a surgical instrument, said device comprising:
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a) a cartridge casing having; i) an interior cartridge storage space therein, ii) a carrier aperture, and iii) an interior carrier channel defining a passageway between said carrier aperture and said storage space; and b) a suture cartridge loaded into said interior storage space of said cartridge casing, said cartridge containing a suture filament for tying a knot during a surgical procedure and a jaw movable from an open position to a closed position; wherein the cartridge carrier of the surgical instrument may be inserted into said carrier aperture for passage through said carrier channel in a loading direction to said cartridge storage space for loading said suture cartridge onto the cartridge carrier, and the loaded cartridge carrier may be withdrawn from said cartridge storage space for passage through said carrier channel in an unloading direction for withdrawal from said carrier aperture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification