Cartridges with first and second channels for guiding barbed sutures having end effectors into braiding machines

A device for guiding a barbed suture into a braider comprising:

• an elongated body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis that extends from the proximal end to the distal end of said elongated body;
• a first channel extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated body and having a first distal opening at the distal end of said elongated body, wherein said first channel has a first cross-sectional area;
• a second channel extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated body and having a second distal opening at the distal end of said elongated body, wherein said second channel has a second cross-sectional area that is different than the first cross-sectional area of said first channel;
• an elongated slot extending along the longitudinal axis of said elongated body that interconnects said first and second channels;
• and
• a barbed suture loaded into said elongated body, said barbed suture including an elongated core having a proximal end, a distal end, a barbed section including barbs extending outwardly from said elongated core, an end effector secured to the proximal end of said elongated core, and an interconnecting segment of said elongated core that is distal to said end effector and proximal to said barbed section, wherein said barbed section of said barbed suture is disposed within said first channel, said end effector of said barbed suture is disposed within said second channel, and said interconnecting segment of said barbed suture extends through said elongated slot.

A method of making a braided barbed suture, comprising:

• guiding a barbed suture into a braider using a guide device, the barbed suture including an elongated core having a proximal end, a distal end, a barbed section including barbs extending outwardly from the elongated core, an end effector secured to the proximal end of the elongated core, and an interconnecting segment of the elongated core that is distal to the end effector and proximal to the barbed section, the device comprising:
• an elongated body extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal end to a distal end thereof;
• a first channel extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body and having a first distal opening at the distal end of the elongated body, wherein the first channel has a first cross-sectional area;
• a second channel extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body and having a second distal opening at the distal end of the elongated body, wherein the second channel has a second cross-sectional area different than the first cross-sectional area;
• and
• an elongated slot extending along the longitudinal axis of the elongated body that interconnects the first and second channels;
• loading the barbed suture into the elongated body so that the barbed section of the barbed suture is disposed within the first channel, the end effector of the barbed suture is disposed within the second channel and the interconnecting segment of the barbed suture extends through the elongated slot with a distal-most tip of the elongated core extending distally beyond the distal end of the elongated body;
• aligning the distal end of the elongated body with a braiding zone of a braider for braiding around the distal-most tip of the barbed suture that extends distally beyond the distal end of the elongated body;
• and
• maintaining the distal end of the elongated body of the device in alignment with the braiding zone of the braider until the barbed suture is fully drawn into the braider.