Self-retaining suture with variable dimension filament and method

• US 8,641,732 B1
• Filed: 02/25/2009
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson), Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Goraltchouk, Alexei, Naimagon, Alexander, Cummings, Gerald F., Drubetsky, Lev, Herrmann, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Woo, Julian W
• Application Number:
  US12/392,955
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 606228-232, 606/219, 264/167
• 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 2017/00849 with respect to tissue, e.g. hollow organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00893 pharmaceutically effective
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/20 with varying denier along their length
• CPC Class Codes: D01D 5/22 with a crimped or curled structure; with a special structure to simulate wool producing crimped or curled effects in filaments or threads after formation D02G1/00

Abstract

A self-retaining suture comprises a variable-dimension filament which varies in size and/or shape along the length of the filament. The variation in size and/or shape results in a variation in the distribution of filament material from one region of the filament to the next. The filament has retainers formed in the surface such that the filament can engage and retain tissue. The retainers are formed in a manner that makes use of regions of the filament where additional material is distributed. The resulting self-retaining suture has a greater minimum cross-section than would be created using an equivalent uniform filament. The resulting self-retaining suture consequently has a greater tensile strength. Methods for manufacturing the filament and retainers are also described.

Claims

1. A surgical suture comprising an elongated filament, the elongated filament comprising:

a plurality of first locations along a length of the elongated filament where a retainer is cut in the filament at each of the first locations, a first filament cross-sectional area present at each of the first locations, where the first filament cross-sectional areas are identical at each of the first locations;

a plurality of second locations interspersed with the plurality of first locations, where a retainer has not been cut in the filament at any of the second locations, a second filament cross-sectional area present at each of the second locations, where the second filament cross sectional areas are identical at each of the second locations;

the first filament cross sectional area being larger than the second filament cross sectional area; and

each retainer having a tissue-penetrating end.

2. The surgical suture of claim 1 which is a degradable suture.

3. The surgical suture of claim 1 which is a non-degradable suture.

4. The surgical suture of claim 1 which is a bidirectional suture.

5. The surgical suture of claim 1 which is a unidirectional suture.

6. The surgical suture of claim 1 in combination with at least one needle.

7. The surgical suture of claim 6 wherein a plurality of retainers are arranged such that the suture can be deployed in the direction of the needle located at a deployment end of the suture but resists movement of the suture in an opposite direction.

8. The surgical suture of claim 1 wherein the retainers lie flat when pulled through tissue in a deployment direction of the suture and fan out when the suture is pulled through tissue in a direction contrary to the deployment direction.

9. The surgical suture of claim 1 having a circular periphery at each of the first and second locations.

10. The surgical suture of claim 1 further comprising a therapeutic composition.

11. The surgical suture of claim 1 further comprising a lubricious agent.

12. The surgical suture of claim 1 fully coated with a therapeutic composition.

13. The surgical suture of claim 1 selectively coated with a therapeutic composition.