# US 2014/0155913 A1 · Method of improving elasticity of tissue of living body > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0155913 A1 - Document ID: US20140155913A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,108 - Filed: 2012-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Inventors: Young Jae KIM - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140155913A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/0469: {Suturing instruments for use in minimally invasive surgery, e.g. endoscopic surgery} - A61B 17/0482: {Needle or suture guides (guides for drills, pins or wire A61B17/17; guides for puncturing needles A61B17/3403)} - A61B 17/06166: {Sutures (suture materials A61L17/00; manufacture of artificial threads D01D; treatment of threads D06M)} - A61B 2017/00792: {Plastic surgery} - A61B 2017/06042: {located close to needle tip} - 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} - A61B 2017/06176: {with protrusions, e.g. barbs} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A method of improving elasticity of a tissue of a living body, the method including: forming a through-hole in the living body; inserting an insertion path forming unit, which includes a pipe member including a pipe and a support member including a support rod, into the through-hole in a state where the pipe member and the support member are assembled; removing the support member from the insertion path forming unit; coupling a medical thread supply unit to the pipe member; pushing the medical thread from behind by using a push unit; and removing the push unit, the medical thread supply unit, and the pipe member. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of improving elasticity of a tissue of a living body, the method comprising: forming a through-hole in the living body; inserting an insertion path forming unit, which comprises a pipe member comprising a pipe that is hollow and forms a path through which a medical thread is to be inserted and a support member comprising a support rod that is inserted into the pipe of the pipe member and has a stiffness greater than a stiffness of the pipe member, into the through-hole in a state where the pipe member and the support member are assembled; removing the support member from the insertion path forming unit; coupling a medical thread supply unit to the pipe member; pushing the medical thread from behind by using a push unit that may slide in the pipe of the pipe member in a longitudinal direction of the pipe of the pipe member and pushes the medical thread through the pipe of the pipe member; and removing the push unit, the medical thread supply unit, and the pipe member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein an inclined insertion unit which is tapered is formed on an outer surface of an end portion of the pipe member. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein a two-step inclined portion which is tapered at an angle greater than an angle of the inclined insertion unit is formed on an end portion of the inclined insertion unit. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the inclined insertion unit further comprises at least one cut line that is formed in parallel to an axial direction of the pipe member to branch the end portion of the pipe member. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pipe member comprises a coupling unit comprising a mount groove that is hollow and tapered and receives the medical thread supply unit therein, and the medical thread supply unit comprises a medical thread retaining unit comprising a supply pipe that is hollow and retains the medical thread to be inserted therein, wherein the medical thread retaining unit comprises a connector having a complementary shape to the mount groove of the pipe member, wherein the medical thread retaining unit is coupled to the mount groove via the connector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein a medical thread support for fixing the medical thread in the tissue of the living body is formed on an end portion of the medical thread. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the medical thread has a loop shape and the medical thread support is disposed at a position where both ends of the medical thread are adjoined. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the medical thread support has a truncated cone shape whose diameter increases away from a side where the medical thread is inserted toward an opposite side. ### Claim 9 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the medical thread comprises barbs that obliquely protrude toward an end portion of the medical thread at a side where the medical thread is inserted. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein a maximum diameter of the medical thread support is the same as or less than an inner diameter of the pipe of the pipe member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein a shoulder portion that protrudes inward in a radial direction is formed on an inner surface of the mount groove. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the pipe member comprises a coupling unit comprising a mount groove that is hollow and tapered and receives the medical thread supply unit therein, and the medical thread supply unit comprises the medical thread and a medical thread support that is formed on an end portion of the medical thread and fixes the medical thread in the tissue of the living body. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the through-hole is formed by using a through-hole forming unit that is additionally disposed on the insertion path forming unit. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the push unit comprises a push rod that has a length great enough to pass through and stick out of the insertion path forming unit and the medical thread supply unit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, after the removing of the push unit, the medical thread supply unit, and the pipe member, adjusting an elasticity improvement direction of the tissue of the living body by pushing in a predetermined direction the tissue of the living body into which the medical thread has been inserted. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue of the living body is a soft tissue. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue of the living body is of a human being. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising, before the forming a through-hole in the living body: designing a position where a through-hole is to be formed and/or a direction in which elasticity is to be improved. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein the designing the position and/or the direction comprises: designing the position and/or the direction on the basis of at least one of a point that is horizontally connected to a mouth corner, a marionette's line, and a nasolabial groove line. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the through-hole is formed on a nasolabial groove line.