Suture reinforement material for automatic suturing device

• US 8,177,797 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gunze Limited
• Original Assignee: Gunze Limited
• Inventors: Ohtani, Hitoshi, Shimoji, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): McDermott, Corrine M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ORKIN, ALEXANDER J
• Application Number:
  US10/564,874
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,860 Days
• Field of Search: 606/151, 606/139, 606/228, 112/22, 112/438, 383/79, 383/92, 289/1.2, 289/1.5, 289/17
• US Class Current: 606/151
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0483 Hand-held instruments for holding sutures A61B17/0469 takes precedence; other holders for needles or sutures A61B17/06061; surgical forceps A61B17/28; surgical pincettes A61B17/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07207 the staples being applied sequentially
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/07292 Reinforcements for staple line, e.g. pledgets
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0477 with pre-tied sutures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a tubular suture reinforcement material suitable for use in automatic suturing devices that are widely used in surgical operations, etc. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tubular suture reinforcement material with which a tubular shape is easily obtained to thereby increase its productivity, and removal of thread is easily achieved. The present invention provides a tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device formed by stacking two sheet-like materials and sewing together both ends of the two sheet-like materials using two chain stitches (intralooping stitches) each thread end at each sewing end is suitably extended, and the thread end is passed through an anterior loop continuous to the thread end, thereby preventing the thread from unraveling.

Claims

1. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device,

wherein the tubular suture reinforcement material is formed by stacking two sheet-like materials and sewing together both ends of the two sheet-like materials using two chain stitches,

wherein said chain stitches comprise a plurality of loops in which one of said loops passes through an adjacent loop in a direction away from a sewing end, thereby providing intralooping stitches,

wherein, at the sewing end, a loop next to the sewing end does not pass through another loop anterior to the loop next to the sewing end, and

wherein a thread end at the sewing end passes through the loop next to the sewing end, which is continuous to the thread end, thereby preventing the thread from unraveling without tying a knot at the sewing end and is returned to the sewing end after passing through the loop next to the sewing end.

2. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein the tip part of the suture reinforcement material is sewed in a tapering manner or sewed into a bag-like shape.

3. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein at least one portion of the sheet-like material is made of at least one member selected from the group consisting of knitted materials, woven materials, nonwoven fabrics, and film, the at least one member being made of a biodegradable and bioabsorbable material.

4. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein the sheet-like material and a stretchable knitted material or woven material are stacked into a tubular shape.

5. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein a projection is formed on the sewing end portion of the one or two sheet-like materials forming the tubular shape.

6. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein extended thread ends at the sewing end are tied in the shape of a loop.

7. An automatic suturing device, comprising a cartridge containing staples and a frame equipped with a staple receiving slot, wherein a tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1 is fitted to the cartridge and/or the frame.

8. A tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device according to claim 1, wherein a loop on a side of the sewing end is tied to a loop immediately before the loop, thereby preventing a thread from unraveling.

9. A method for removing a lesion from an affected region of a patient,

suturing said affected region with a tubular suture reinforcement material according to claim 1,

cutting off the lesion from normal tissue in the affected region, and

removing said lesion along with a part of said suture reinforcement material while leaving another part of said suture reinforcement material in the patient.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the affected region comprises a soft tissue.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the affected region comprises pulmonary tissue.

12. A method for manufacturing a tubular suture reinforcement material for an automatic suturing device comprising:

stacking two sheet-like materials,

sewing together both ends of the two sheet-like materials using two chain stitches, wherein said chain stitches comprise a plurality of loops in which one of said loops passes through an adjacent loop in a direction away from a sewing end, thereby providing intralooping stitches, said intralooping stitches suitably extending each thread end at each sewing end,

at the sewing end, having a loop next to the sewing end not pass through another loop anterior to the loop next to the sewing end, and

passing the thread end at the sewing end through the loop next to the sewing end, which is continuous to the thread end without tying a knot at the sewing end, wherein the thread end is returned to the sewing end after passing through the loop next to the sewing end.