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US 2011/0257663 A1Published application
Suture system for manual and robotic surgery with suture thread gatherer and fuser and double pointed suture needle for one hand application (3)
OwnerJohn D. Unsworthinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention is a suture system including a device and a method for manual and robotic surgery with suture thread gatherer and fuser and double pointed suture needle for one hand suture application.
Claims22
A system comprised of a straight or curved needle or member, having opposed points at each end, and
- having intermediate to the said points, a point(s) of attachment, detachable attachment, connection or slidable connection(s), which
- anchors the proximal end of thread or other flexible filamentous material.
A system and method comprised of forceps or end effectors (hereafter each referred to as “forceps”) having clamping ends which,
- are connected by a sliding, flexible, springy or compliant connection or member, which
- can grasp the needle or member, and
- while grasping the needle or member, said clamping ends can move laterally with respect to one another, in response to an input from the operator, and
- thereby cause the said needle or member to rotate about various selected exes, including the longitudinal axis of the needle or member, at the points on which the needle is grasped.
1 more element
A system and method comprised of forceps having clamping ends, one or both of which includes a fusing pad which is heated or exudes chemical(s) upon the input from the operator, and which
- fuses or welds threads grasped together between the said clamping ends, and
- the said threads are made of plastic, monofilament or other thermally and/or chemically fusible material, and
- the said fused or welded thread(s) are then released from the clamping ends.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.