Magazine for loading a needle onto a stitching instrument and for loading a length of suture onto a suture dispensing instrument

An apparatus for loading a needle onto a stitching instrument and for loading a length of suture onto a suture tying instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• a needle having a length of suture attached thereto;
• a base having a longitudinal length;
• first and second projections on the base positioned toward one end of the base longitudinal length, the first and second projections having a spacing therebetween that is sufficiently small to enable insertion of the needle in the spacing between the first and second projections to hold the needle in a position on the base where the needle can be removed from the projections by a stitching instrument;
• opposing sidewalls on the base positioned toward an opposite end of the base spaced longitudinally from the first and second projections, the suture is wrapped in at least one loop around the opposing sidewalls and the opposing sidewalls have a spacing therebetween that is sufficiently large to enable insertion of a suture tying instrument between the opposing sidewalls and through the loop of suture wrapped around the opposing sidewalls.

An apparatus for loading a needle onto a stitching instrument and for loading a length of suture onto a suture tying instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• a needle having a length of suture attached thereto;
• a base;
• means on the base for holding the needle in a position on the base where the needle can be removed from the means for holding the needle by a stitching instrument;
• means on the base for holding the length of suture attached to the needle in a position on the base where the length of suture can be removed from the means for holding the suture and loaded onto a suture tying instrument;
• the base has a longitudinal length, the means for holding the suture is positioned toward one end of the base longitudinal length and the means for holding the needle is positioned toward an opposite end of the base longitudinal length;
• the means for holding the suture includes opposing sidewalls on the base, the suture is wrapped at least one loop around the opposing sidewalls and the opposing sidewalls have a spacing therebetween that is sufficiently large to insert a suture tying instrument between the opposing sidewalls and through the loop of suture wrapped around the opposing sidewalls;
• the means for holding the needle includes first and second projections on the base spaced longitudinally from the opposing sidewalls, the first and second projections have a spacing therebetween that is sufficiently small to enable insertion and wedging of the needle in the spacing between the first and second projections to hold the needle.

A method of loading a needle onto a stitching instrument and for loading a length of suture attached to the needle onto a suture tying instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

• loading the stitching instrument and the suture tying instrument from a magazine, the magazine having first and second projections with a spacing therebetween and a pair of opposing sidewalls also having a spacing therebetween, the needle is positioned on the magazine wedged in the spacing between the first and second projections and the suture is positioned on the magazine wrapped in at least one loop around the opposing sidewalls;
• loading the stitching instrument by grasping the needle with the stitching instrument and pulling the needle from the spacing between the first and second projections with the stitching instrument;
• and,
• loading the suture tying instrument by inserting the suture tying instrument between the opposing sidewalls and the loop of suture wrapped around the opposing sidewalls, and then sliding the at least one loop of suture off the opposing sidewalls and onto the suture tying instrument.