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US 2011/0087248 A1Published application
Flexor Tendon Suture Passer
OwnerDennis L. Steffeninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A suture passer system and method are provided. The system includes a dual shaft suture passer. The suture passer is especially configured and contoured to aid in the retrieval of sutures during a flexor tendon repair procedures.
Claims4
A suture passer device, comprising:
- a dual shaft retriever, the shafts being substantially U-shaped at the distal tip, the shafts having a tapered central region which extends out to a looped handle portion at the proximal end, a first shaft extending from and tapering from the central region and a second shaft extending from and tapering from the central region, opposite and parallel to the first shaft, the central region smallest of diameters and looped for receiving a suture, the central region lying at the end of a gentle arc, the handle portion lying opposite of the central region at opposite end of arc.
A method for retrieval of a severed flexor tendon in the hand comprising:
- a device having a tapered dual shaft, a distal end, a proximal end and a gently curved arced length between the distal and proximal ends of the shafts, the shaft portion lying between the handle portion and distal tip portion capable of passage through a flexor tendon sheath, the shaft having a convex upper surface to contact an upper surface of an interior surface, of the tendon sheath, the shaft having a convex under surface opposite the upper surface to contact an interior under surface of the tendon sheath and or an outer surface of the tendon, the shafts having a taper from the central portion of the shafts to the handle portion. The shaft material comprised of a flexible memory metal e.g. but not limited to Nitinol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.