Fluid emitting suture needle

• US 20050070959A1
• Filed: 09/30/2003
• Published: 03/31/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Cichocki, Frank Richard Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 7,481,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/223
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/06066 Needles, e.g. needle tip configurations making needles B21G1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06052 Needle-suture combinations in which a suture is extending inside a hollow tubular needle, e.g. over the entire length of the needle hollow suture needles A61B2017/061
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0608 J-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/061 hollow or tubular suture extending inside a hollow needle A61B2017/06052; hollow sutures A61B2017/06185
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06185 hollow or tubular hollow suture needles A61B2017/061

Abstract

The invention provides a multifunctional suture needle that may be used to draw a suture through tissue surrounding a wound while simultaneously delivering a bioactive fluid through the needle tip. The suture needle possesses an internal cavity capable of containing a fluid, and a fine aperture adjacent to the point of the needle through which the fluid may egress. The fluid may be driven from the needle through the needle tip with a compressed gas that is sealed within the cavity adjacent to the fluid. Alternatively a fluid conducting suture may be employed to deliver fluid through the internal passage of the suture needle and out the aperture adjacent to the tip of the needle. The rate at which the fluid is emitted from the suture needle may be controlled by carefully selecting the fluid viscosity, design of the needle or suture passages, and pressure applied to the fluid.

Claims

1. A suture needle having an internal cavity therein comprising:

a proximal end, a distal end, a point on the distal end, an opening at or in the proximity of the distal end, and a non-hollow portion or seal at or adjacent to the proximal end;

wherein the internal cavity is in fluid communication with said opening at one end and terminates at said non-hollow portion or seal at the other end;

a fluid residing within the internal cavity; and

a compressed gas residing between the fluid and the non-hollow portion or seal.

2. The suture needle of claim 1, wherein the proximal end of the suture needle is attached to a suture.

15. The suture needle of claim 1, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial agents, antibiodic agents, antiviral, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetic agents, anti-proliferatives, growth factors, hemostatic agents, sealants, adhesives, scar treatment agents, angio-genesis promoting agents, pro-coagulation factors, anti-coagulation factors, chemotactic agents, agents to promote apoptosis, immunomodulators, mitogenic agents, epinephrine, thrombin, tranexamic acid, triclosan, gentamiacin, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, pyrilamine, promethazin, meclizine, terfenadine, astemizole, fexofenidine, loratidine, aurothioglucose, auranofin, Cortisol (hydrocortisone), cortisone, fludrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, 6α

-methylprednisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, and dexamethasone.

3. A suture needle assembly comprising:

a suture needle having a first internal cavity therein and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a point on the distal end, and an opening at or in the proximity of the distal end;

a connector having a second internal cavity therein and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a non-hollow portion or seal at or adjacent to the proximal end of the connector;

wherein the first internal cavity of the suture needle is in fluid communication with the opening of the suture needle at one end and with the second internal cavity of the connector at the other end, and the second internal cavity terminates at said non-hollow portion or seal of the connector;

a fluid residing within the first internal cavity of the suture needle or within the first internal cavity of the suture needle and the second internal cavity of the connector; and

a compressed gas residing between the fluid and the non-hollow portion or seal of the connector.

4. The suture needle assembly of claim 3, wherein the proximal end of the connector is attached to a suture.

16. The suture needle of claim 3, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial agents, antibiodic agents, antiviral, hemostatic agents, sealants, adhesives, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetic agents, anti-proliferatives, growth factors, scar treatment agents, angio-genesis promoting agents, pro-coagulation factors, anti-coagulation factors, chemotactic agents, agents to promote apoptosis, immunomodulators, mitogenic agents, epinephrine, thrombin, tranexamic acid, triclosan, gentamiacin, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, pyrilamine, promethazin, meclizine, terfenadine, astemizole, fexofenidine, loratidine, aurothioglucose, auranofin, Cortisol (hydrocortisone), cortisone, fludrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, 6α

-methylprednisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, and dexamethasone.

5. A suture needle/suture assembly comprising:

a suture needle having a internal cavity therein and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a point on the distal end, and an opening at or in the proximity of the distal end;

a suture having at least one internal passageway therein and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and seal in the internal passageway at a point located between the proximal and distal ends of the suture;

said at least one internal passageway extending along a length of the suture;

wherein the internal cavity of the suture needle is in fluid communication with the opening of the suture needle at one end and with the at least one internal passageway of the suture at the other;

a fluid residing within the internal cavity of the suture needle or within the internal cavity of the suture needle and the at least one internal passageway of the suture; and

a compressed gas residing between the fluid and the seal on the suture.

6. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 5, wherein the suture is selected from the group consisting of (i) a braided suture or multifilament tow coated with a polymer, (ii) a braided suture or multifilament tow having a lumen therein;

and (iii) a hollow suture.

14. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 6, wherein the lumen extends from the proximal end of the suture needle to a point between the distal and proximal ends of the braided suture or multifilament tow.

17. The suture needle of claim 5, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial agents, antibiodic agents, antiviral, hemostatic agents, sealants, adhesives, antithrombotic anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetic agents, anti-proliferatives, growth factors, scar treatment agents, angio-genesis promoting agents, pro-coagulation factors, anti-coagulation factors, chemotactic agents, agents to promote apoptosis, immunomodulators, mitogenic agents, epinephrine, thrombin, tranexamic acid, triclosan, gentamiacin, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, pyrilamine, promethazin, meclizine, terfenadine, astemizole, fexofenidine, loratidine, aurothioglucose, auranofin, Cortisol (hydrocortisone), cortisone, fludrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, 6α

-methylprednisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, and dexamethasone.

7. A suture needle/suture assembly comprising:

a suture needle having a internal cavity therein and comprising a proximal end, a distal end, a point on the distal end, and an opening at or in the proximity of the distal end;

a suture having at least one internal passageway and comprising a proximal end and a distal end;

said at least one internal passageway extending along a length of the suture from the distal end to the proximal end of the suture;

wherein said internal cavity of said suture needle is in fluid communication with the opening of the suture needle at one end and with said at least one internal passageway of said suture at the other.

8. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 7, wherein the outer diameter of the suture needle is greater than or equal to the outer diameter of the suture.

9. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 7, wherein the outer diameter of the suture needle is greater than the outer diameter of a first portion of the suture beginning at the distal end of the suture, but less than or equal to the outer diameter of a second portion of the suture.

10. The suture needle /suture assembly of claim 7, wherein the suture is selected from the group consisting of (i) a braided suture or multifilament tow coated with a polymer, (ii) a braided suture or multifilament tow having a lumen therein, (iii) a braided suture or multifilament tow coated with a polymer contained within a larger braided suture or multifilament tow, and (iv) a hollow suture.

11. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 7, wherein the proximal end of the suture is attached to a reservoir, and the at least one internal passageway is in fluid communication with the reservoir.

12. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 11, wherein the reservoir is a hypodermic needle or syringe.

13. The suture needle/suture assembly of claim 12, further comprising an elastomeric connector located between the suture and syringe.

18. The suture needle of claim 7, wherein the fluid is selected from the group consisting of antimicrobial agents, antibiodic agents, antiviral, hemostatic agents, sealants, adhesives, antithrombotic, anti-inflammatory agents, anesthetic agents, anti-proliferatives, growth factors, scar treatment agents, angio-genesis promoting agents, pro-coagulation factors, anti-coagulation factors, chemotactic agents, agents to promote apoptosis, immunomodulators, mitogenic agents, epinephrine, thrombin, tranexamic acid, triclosan, gentamiacin, diphenhydramine, chlorpheniramine, pyrilamine, promethazin, meclizine, terfenadine, astemizole, fexofenidine, loratidine, aurothioglucose, auranofin, Cortisol (hydrocortisone), cortisone, fludrocortisone, prednisone, prednisolone, 6α

-methylprednisone, triamcinolone, betamethasone, and dexamethasone.