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US 5,431,670 AGranted
Surgical suturing instrument
AssigneeHol-Med Corporation
InventorRussell P. Holmes
Life of this patent
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AssigneeHol-Med Corporation
InventorRussell P. Holmes
Estimating the term…
The suturing instrument of the present invention uses an electromagnet to position, orient and hold a needle at the end of an elongated barrel, thereby eliminating the mechanical jaws which are otherwise required. The electromagnet is contained in a barrel and extends along the length of the barrel. One end of the electromagnet emerges at the distal end of the barrel and extends to an end cap, which includes a groove for orienting the needle. Wires extending from the electromagnet and through the barrel connect to a power source which supplies current to the wires. The power source preferably has multiple power settings for supplying different levels of current. When sufficient current is applied to the electromagnet, the electromagnet attracts the needle to it, causing the needle to move to a predetermined position within the groove.
A method of performing a suturing procedure with a suturing instrument containing at one end an electromagnet, the method including the steps of:
A method of performing a suturing procedure with a suturing instrument containing at one end an electromagnet, the method including the steps of:
A surgical suturing instrument including:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.