Barbed suture in combination with surgical needle

• US 8,721,681 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Issued: 05/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson), Ethicon, LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Ruff, Gregory L., Megaro, Matthew A., Leung, Jeffrey C.
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, JULIAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/495,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20100087855A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,778 Days
• Field of Search: 606/225, 606228-231, 244/45
• US Class Current: 606/228
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/04 for suturing wounds; Holders or packages for needles or suture materials suture materials A61L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06166 Sutures suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06028 by means of a cylindrical longitudinal blind bore machined at the suture-receiving end of the needle, e.g. opposite to needle tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06057 Double-armed sutures, i.e. sutures having a needle attached to each end
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06176 with protrusions, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/04 Non-resorbable materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 17/10 containing macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/10 Macromolecular materials

Abstract

A barbed suture for connecting tissue, and a combination surgical needle with a barbed suture. The suture includes an elongated body and a plurality of barbs projecting from the body. Each barb causes the suture to resist movement in an opposite direction from which the barb faces. The disposition of the barbs on the body may be staggered, twist cut multiple spiral, overlapping, or random. Also, the configuration of the barbs may be a certain spirality angle α, barb cut angle θ, barb cut depth, barb cut length, barb cut distance, corrugated barb underside, arcuate barb base, or varying barb size.

Claims

1. A unidirectional barbed suture for connecting human or animal tissue, said suture comprising:

an elongated body having a generally circular cross section, a longitudinal axis, a cross-sectional distance (SD), a first end and a second end, where a needle having a needle diameter (ND) is attached to the first end; and

a plurality of cuts in the elongated body that provide for a plurality of barbs projecting from the body towards the second end;

wherein the barbs are staggered along the body in three sets with 120 degree radial spacing between any two sets; and

a plurality of barbs comprising a configuration wherein a ratio of a barb cut depth (D) to the (SD) is about 0.05 to about 0.6.

2. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the D to the SD is about 0.1 to 0.55.

3. The barbed suture of claim 2 wherein the ratio of the ND to the SD is less than 1.8.

4. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the D to the SD is about 0.2 to 0.5.

5. The barbed suture of claim 4 wherein a ratio of a longitudinal distance between adjacent barbs (P) to the SD is about 1.0 to 3.5.

6. The barbed suture of claim 4 wherein a ratio of a barb cut length (L) to the SD is about 0.8 to 1.5.

7. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a longitudinal distance between adjacent barbs (P) to the SD is about 0.1 to 6.0.

8. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a longitudinal distance between adjacent barbs (P) to the SD is about 0.5 to 4.5.

9. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a longitudinal distance between adjacent barbs (P) to the SD is about 1.0 to 3.5.

10. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a barb cut length (L) to the SD is about 0.2 to 2.

11. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a barb cut length (L) to the SD is about 0.4 to 1.7.

12. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of a barb cut length (L) to the SD is about 0.8 to 1.5.

13. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the ND to the SD is less than 3.

14. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein a ratio of the ND to the SD is less than 2.

15. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein the ratio of the ND to the SD is less than 1.8.

16. The suture of claim 1 having a size of 0, 2-0 or 3-0.

17. The suture of claim 1 wherein the elongated body is a monofilament.

18. The suture of claim 1 formed from components comprising a synthetic biodegradable polymer.

19. The barbed suture of claim 1 wherein the needle is curved.