Self-retainers with supporting structures on a suture

• US 8,216,273 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 07/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cilag Gmbh International (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Goraltchouk, Alexei, Drubetsky, Lev, Cummings, Gerald F., Herrmann, Robert A., Naimagon, Alexander
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, JULIAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/392,945
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 606228-232, 606/219
• US Class Current: 606/228
• 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 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs

Abstract

In embodiments of the invention, a manufacturing process produces and an. Article produced has a self-retaining suture wherein a force is used to squeeze the suture causing retainers to form out of material from the suture body. In an embodiment of the invention, fins are formed between the retainers and the suture body, wherein said fins support the retainers. In another embodiment, retainer stops are provided in order to prevent the retainer from settling back in the body of the suture.

Claims

1. A self-retaining suture comprising:

one or more filaments wherein the one or more filaments have an elongated body;

one or more tissue retainers formed by applying pressure to the elongated body such that the tissue retainers protrude outward from the elongated body; and

one or more fins, wherein each fin corresponds with the area of the elongated body where the pressure was applied and said one or more fins are located between one or more respective tissue retainers and the elongated body, and supports the respective one or more retainers

wherein a wedge shaped section has been cut from the fin to provide a cut fin, said cut fin comprising an inferior fin portion located below the cut between the cut and the elongated body, and a superior fin portion located above the cut between the cut and the tissue retainer.

2. The self-retaining suture of claim 1, wherein the pressure applied pinches the elongated body to form the retainer.

3. The self-retaining suture of claim 1, wherein the fin holds the retainer in position.

4. The self-retaining suture of claim 1, wherein the cut fin holds the retainer in position while allowing some movement.

5. The self-retaining suture of claim 1, wherein the cut fin allows the tissue retainer to compress toward the suture body during insertion of the suture into tissue.