AU625522B2 - Suturing devices - Google Patents

Description

ATRITf Mr. LTD.

COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFIC~ATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: 1144 4 6 1444 4 44 It 444 4 44 4 I 4 44 14 1 4 444 4 41

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441 1 "SUTURING DEVICES" *414 4 4 4411 444~ 4 4 44 4 1~ 41 444 This invention is described in the following statement:

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This invention relates to suturing devices and refers particularly, though not exclusively, to a suturing device for use internally and which is designed to be broken down by hydrolysis resulting in dissolution of the device and its elimination once healing is complete.

For many years when surgeons have been operating on th,- human body they have been required to suture internally. Of recent years they have been using a thread in the form of a monofilament which is broken down by hydrolysis resulting in dissolution of the thread and the resultant elimination of the byproducts. The time taken for this hydrolysis is known and would occur after the 10 healing process has basically been completed. Therefore, when suturing internally, there is no need to remove the sutures at a later date.

All of this requires a fairly large incision so that access to the internal oa organs and tissue can be made to enable the needle and thread to be used. This in itself causes problems as certain surgery is now performed through very small incisions. This is done to minimise the morbidity of a large incision and to S, preserve the livelihood of people in professions where almost perfect appearance is mandatory professional models being a good example. With a very small incision, it is not possible to easily use a needle and thread to suture internal organs and internal tissue.

The invention therefore has as its object the providing of a suture device which is able to be used to suture tissue and/or organs internally of the body and which are able to be used with small incisions.

-2i i i i With the above and other objects in mind, the present invention provides a suture device for internal use, said suture device comprising a body, at least one opening in said body, and at least one pointed barb projecting from said body and being adapted to be held in said at least one opening and wherein said suture device is formed from a material which is broken down by hydrolysis.

The body may be arcuate and has an opening providing two end faces, each end face having a pointed barb and an opening, the barb of one end face being adapted to be received in the opening of the other end face.

Alternatively, the body may be elongate having an opening at one end and a pointed barb at the other end, the body being adapted to be bent to enable the pointed barb to be received in the opening.

As a further alternative the body may be made as two separate components, the first omponent having a central pointed barb and an opening at each end, and the second component having a central opening and a pointed barb at each end; the two components being adapted so that the pointed barb(s) of each i component are adapted to be received in the opening(s) of the other component.

The suture devices may be made individually, or in continuous strips.

The invention can be readily understood by a consideration of the embodiments, which are described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a first embodiment; Figures 2 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 1; -3- 6 I Figure 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is an end view of half the embodiment of Fig~u js 1 to 3; Figure 5 is front perspective view of a second embodiment; Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 5 when almost fully assembled; 0901 0 o0 Of 0 S00 0 06 3 a 0 0 0 00 0 00 0 -fat 11 ii Figure 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figures and 6, when fully assembled; Figure 8 is a front perspective view of a third embodiment; Figure 9 is a rear view of the embodiment of Figure 8; Figure 10 is a side view of the embodiments of Figures 8 9; Figure 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the embodiment of Figures 8 to 10, when fully assembled; Figure 12 is an underneath perspective view of a fourth embodiment; Figure 13 is a top perspective view of the embodiment of Figure 12; Figure 14 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Figures 12 and 13 when assembled; '4 Figure 15 is a side view in partial section corresponding to Figure 14; I 4, Figure 16 is a top perspective view of a fifth embodiment; ljFigure 17 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 16; Figure 18 is a top plan view of the embodiment of Figures 16 and 17; and Figure 19 is a top perspective view of a fifth embodiment. I In each of the embodiments the material used is preferably polydiaxone Ssulphate which is a material which is broken down by hydrolysis. Any alternative material can be used. However, it must have this particular feature.

Each of th' embodiments has a pointed barb which is sufficiently sharp to be able to easily pierce both layers of tissue which are to be brought together to enable healing to take place, with the piercIng being in the form of a cutting action rather than a tearing action. In other words, it should cut through the tissue -4- K, 4 iii rather than tearing or forcing a hole. Once through the tissue the barb or head of the spear is designed to be received in an opening or blind-hole bore so as to be retained in that position.

To refer to the drawings, Figures 1 to 4 show a first embodiment having a body 10 which is arcuate in shape, almost forming an annular ring. The body 10 has a first end face 12 and a second end face 14. The end faces 12 and 14 each have a pointed barb 16 and an opening 18, the opening 18 of one of the end faces being adapted to securely receive the pointed barb 16 of the other end face. Each pointed barb 16 has a shaft 20 and a head 22 which is pointed at its 10 outer end 24 and has a shoulder 26 at its inner end. When fully assembled, the fit# f4 1 4 end faces 12 and 14 are spaced apart with most, if not all, the length of the shaft being outside the opening 18.

The embodiment of Figures 5 to 7 is very similar to that of Figures 1 to 4 except that the body 110 is elongate. At a first end 111 is a pointed barb 116, the same as that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4; and a second end 113 of increased thickness having an opening 118 again the same as that of the embodiment of Figures 1 to 4. The body 110 can be bent into an arcuate shape and the barb 116 engaged in the opening 118. It is noticeable that only the head 122 of the pointed barb 116 is received in the opening 118, the shaft 120 being I outside the opening 118 to enable the two ends 111 and 113 to be spaced apart when the device is fully assembled.

The embodiment of Figures 8 to 10 has two end plates 230, each of which has a pointed barb 216 and an opening 232, The two end plates 230 are joined by a flexrible wbe 234. The openings 232 are in a thickened area 236 of each I i* end plate, and pass completely through the thickened area 236. The pointed barbs 216 are the same as those of the embodiments of Figures 1 to 7. Here, however, the head 222 passed completely through the opening 232 so that the shoulder 226 engages on the end plate 230. If desired, the shaft 220 may have a step (not shown) so that the end plates 230 would be held apart.

Figures 12 to 15 show a third embodiment, where the suture device is made in two different components, and where they can be made individually or in continuous strips as shown. Figure 12 shows the first component. Thus the body 340 is shaped like the letter and has a central pointed barb 342 and two end openings 344. Figure 13 shows the second component where the body 346 is shaped like an inverted letter and has a central opening 348 and two end pointed barbs 350. When assembled, the pointed barbs 350 are received in the openings 344 and the pointed barb 342 received in the opening 348. Ag'a h of the pointed barbs 342, 350 has a head 322 with a pointed end 324 and a shoulder 326, and a shaft 320. When assembled, only the heads 322 engage in the openings 344 and 348, with the shafts 320 being substantially outside the openings 344 and 348. If made as continuous strips, webs 352 and 354 join the bodies 340 and 346 respectively.

In figures 16 to 18 there is shown a fifth embodiment wherein there is provide a web 460 which has spaced apart openings 432 passing completely through the web, and pointed barbs 416, each of which is of similar construction to the previous embodiments in that a head 422 and a shaft 420 are provided. In this instance, the web 460 could be cut to provide an individual suture device, or -6two strips could be used with the pointed barbs of one strip engaging in the openings of the other strips.

The final embodiment is shown in Figure 19, which is identical to that of Figures 16 to 18, except the head 522 of the pointed barbs 516 are conical, rather than pyramidical.

The length of the shaft of each pointed barb must be sufficiently long to be able to pass through the necessary number of layers of tissue and engage in the opening without having the tissue compressed. This may be achieved by varying the length of the shaft of the pointed barbs, or by having the openings of variable depth. This lack of compression is important as if the tissue is compressed, it can cause necrosis of the tissue. The distance between the pointed barbs must be sufficient to allow a bridge of undamaged tissue to enable proper and complete healing. The length and distances will vary depending on the tissue involved and the numbers of tissues to be joined. Therefore, the size of the device will depend totally upon the tissue to be joined and the length of the pointed barb would again vary according to the tissue being joined.

The device would be placed by handle operated forceps which would carry the device at the site of application. Closure of the jaws of the forceps would result in the pointed barbs penetrating the tissue and engaging in the opening.

By use of this device it would therefore be possible to repair internal tissue without it requiring lengthy incisions, nei dies and threads. By being made of a material such as polydiaxone sulphate, it would dissolve by hydrolysis over a period of time resulting in dissolution of the device and its elimination at the end of the healing process.

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Claims (12)

1. A suture device for internal use, said suture device comprising a body, at least one opening in said body, and at least one pointed barb projecting from said body and being adapted to be held in said at least one opening and wherein said suture device is formed from a material which is broken down by hydrolysis.

2. A suture device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said body has two end faces, each end face having one pointed barb and one opening, the barb of one end face being adapted to be received in the opening of the other end face. vet0 oo..

3. A suture device as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said body is arcuate with 00 0 an opening defining said end faces. A

4. A suture device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said body is elongate, there being one pointed barb at a first end of said body and one opening at a second :0040 end of said body. o

5. A suture device as claimed in Claim 4, wherein said second end is of DOG* increased thickness relative to said first end.

6. A suture device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said body has a first component and a second component, said first component having a central pointed barb and two end openings, said second component having a central opening and two fvnd pointed barbs; the pointed barb(s) of each component being adapted to be received in the opening(s) of the other component.

7. A suture device as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said body comprises a continuous strip having a plurality of alternating pointed barbs and openings. J-8

8. A suture device as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein said pointed barb comprises a shaft and a head, said head having a pointed outer end and a shoulder at its inner end.

9. A suture device as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said head is conical in shape.

A suture device as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, wherein said opening is a blind hole bore of a depth the same as or slightly greater than the length of said head.

11. A suture device as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said opening is a hole V: through which said head can pass. S"

12. A suture device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED this 21st day of April 1992. 0 ATRIST PTY LTD By their Patent Attorneys S CALLINAN LAWRIE 9 wi:o! r^s 1