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US 5,312,642 AGranted
Method and apparatus for calendering and coating/filling sutures
AssigneeUnited States Surgical Corporation
InventorsMichael P. Chesterfield, Mark P. Reale
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for calendering a suture includes passing the suture lengthwise between two pairs of calendering rollers each pair being oriented orthogonally to the other pair. The suture may be coated and/or filled by passing it through the contacting region of a suture filling applicator to which filling agent is supplied by a metering pump. The filling process may be computer controlled.
Claims26
A method for coating a multifilament surgical suture comprising:
- a) providing an uncoated multifilament surgical suture;
- b) applying a first compressive force to the multifilament suture along a first linear direction which is substantially transverse to the axial orientation of the suture, said first compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in a second linear direction substantially orthogonal to said first linear direction, and then applying a second compressive force to said suture substantially along said second linear direction, said second compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to reform the suture to substantially its original cross section;
- and then,
- c) coating the suture with an effective amount of coating agent for improving the handling characteristics of the suture.
1 more element
A method for filling a multifilament surgical suture comprising:
- a) providing a multifilament synthetic absorbable surgical suture having a lubricant coating;
- b) applying a first compressive force to the multifilament suture along a first linear direction which is substantially transverse to the axial orientation of the suture, said first compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in a second linear direction substantially orthogonal to said first linear direction, and then applying a second compressive force to said suture substantially along said second linear direction, said second compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in substantially said first linear direction, said first and second compressive forces disrupting at least a portion of the suture coating;
- and then,
- c) filling the suture with an effective amount of a storage stabilizing filling agent.
1 more element
A method for filling a multifilament synthetic bioabsorbable surgical suture comprising:
- a) providing a coated multifilament synthetic bioabsorbable surgical suture;
- b) applying a first compressive force to said suture along a first linear direction which is substantially transverse to the axial orientation of said suture, said first compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in a second linear direction substantially orthogonal to said first linear direction, and then applying a second compressive force to said suture substantially along said second linear direction, said second compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in substantially said first linear direction;
- and then,
- c) filling said suture with an effective amount of a storage stabilizing filling agent.
1 more element
A method for coating and filling a multifilament surgical suture comprising:
- a) providing a multifilament surgical suture;
- b) coating said multifilament surgical suture with a coating agent;
- then
- c) applying a first compressive force to the multifilament suture along a first linear direction which is substantially transverse to the axial orientation of the suture, said first compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at least temporarily in a second linear direction substantially orthogonal to said first linear direction, and then applying a second compressive force to said suture substantially along said second linear direction, said second compressive force being of sufficient magnitude to expand the suture diameter at lest temporarily in substantially said first linear direction;
- and then,
- d) filling the suture with an effective amount of storage stabilizing filling agent.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.