Apparatus and methods for forming barbs on sutures utilizing multiple cutting blades

Abstract

A barb cutting apparatus includes a suture handling assembly supporting a suture, and a knife assembly including first and second blades secured to and extending outwardly from a collet. The knife assembly is configured to simultaneously cut a first barb in the suture with the first blade and a second barb in the suture with the second blade. A method of forming barbs on a suture includes contacting an elongated body of a suture with a plurality of blades of a knife assembly, which are secured to a collet of the knife assembly, to simultaneously form a first plurality of barbs in the suture. The method further includes moving the suture relative to the plurality of blades a predetermined distance and contacting the elongated body of the suture with the plurality of blades to simultaneously form a second plurality of barbs in the suture.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.