IPC분류정보
| 국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
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| 국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
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| 출원번호 |
US-0305923
(2002-11-26)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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| 출원인 / 주소 |
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| 인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
82 인용 특허 :
82 |
초록
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A suture clamping system, including a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, wherein at least one of the elements is flexible, the plurality of elements each being dimensioned such that an opening slot is formed through the row of elements when the at least one flexible element is biase
A suture clamping system, including a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, wherein at least one of the elements is flexible, the plurality of elements each being dimensioned such that an opening slot is formed through the row of elements when the at least one flexible element is biased into a first position, and wherein a tortuous path is formed through the row of elements when the elements are not biased. A method of clamping a suture pair, including biasing a row of adjacent flexible elements to a first position in which an opening slot is formed therealong; receiving the suture pair into the opening slot; and removing the biasing such that the adjacent flexible elements move to positions which hold the suture pair in a tortuous path.
대표청구항
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What is claimed is: 1. A suture clamp, comprising: a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, the plurality of elements defining a slot sized to accept a suture element through the row of elements when at least one of the elements is in a first position, and wherein a tortuous path for t
What is claimed is: 1. A suture clamp, comprising: a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, the plurality of elements defining a slot sized to accept a suture element through the row of elements when at least one of the elements is in a first position, and wherein a tortuous path for the suture element is formed through the row of elements when at least one of the elements is in a second position, wherein the at least one element comprises a flexible element which is in the second position when not biased, and which moves into the first position when biased. 2. The suture clamp of claim 1, wherein the slot is generally parallel to the length of the row. 3. The suture clamp of claim 1, wherein the direction in which the flexible element is biased is generally transverse to the length of the row. 4. The suture clamp of claim 1, wherein the flexible element comprises: a lower portion; a flexible neck extending from the lower portion; and an upper portion extending from the flexible neck. 5. The suture clamp of claim 4, wherein the upper portion has a slot defining feature formed therein. 6. The suture clamp of claim 4, wherein the upper portion has a projection extending longitudinally in the direction of the row. 7. The suture clamp of claim 6, wherein a plurality of elements are positioned adjacent to one another, and wherein the upper portions of the adjacent elements abut against one another when the elements are not biased. 8. The suture clamp of claim 1, wherein the at least one flexible element comprises a plurality of flexible slotted elements connected at different angles to a common base. 9. A suture clamp, comprising: a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, the plurality of elements defining a slot sized to accept a suture element through the row of elements when at least one of the elements is a flexible element which is biased to move into a first position, and wherein a tortuous path for the suture element is formed through the row of elements when the flexible element is not biased. 10. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein the slot is generally parallel to the length of the row. 11. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein the direction in which the flexible element is biased is generally transverse to the length of the row. 12. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein the flexible element comprises: a lower portion; a flexible neck extending from the lower portion; and an upper portion extending from the flexible neck. 13. The suture clamp of claim 12, wherein the upper portion has a slot defining feature formed therein. 14. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein each of the elements are identical in shape, and wherein the row is formed by connecting together successive elements facing in opposite directions. 15. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein the plurality of elements comprise a plurality of flexible slotted elements connected at different angles to a common base. 16. The suture clamp of claim 9, wherein more than one of the elements are flexible. 17. A suture clamp system, comprising: a suture clamp comprising a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, the plurality of elements defining a slot sized to accept a suture element through the row of elements when at least one of the elements is biased into a first position; and a biasing device which is slidably received over the row of elements, and which biases the at least one flexible element into the first position. 18. The system of claim 17, wherein a tortuous path for the suture element is formed through the row of elements when the row of elements is not biased. 19. The system of claim 17, wherein the biasing device further comprises: a support which advances the row of elements through the biasing device. 20. The system of claim 17, wherein the biasing device comprises a pair of rails, with a rail disposed on either side of the row of elements. 21. The system of claim 20, wherein, at a first portion, the pair of rails are spaced apart a first distance which does not bias the row of elements and, at a second portion, the pair of rails are spaced apart a second distance which biases the row of elements when the row of elements are received therebetween. 22. The system of claim 17, wherein the plurality of elements comprise a plurality of flexible slotted elements connected at different angles to a common base. 23. The system of claim 17, further comprising: a suture guide assembly positioned at one end of the row of elements. 24. The suture clamp of claim 23, wherein the suture guide assembly comprises: a suture guide; and a suture lock which is movably positionable with respect to the suture guide. 25. The suture clamp of claim 24, wherein the suture lock can be positioned at a first position wherein the suture guide and suture lock are separated by a distance sufficient to insert a suture therebetween, and wherein the suture lock can be positioned at a second position wherein the suture guide and suture lock are separated by a distance sufficient to crap a suture therebetween. 26. The Suture clamp of claim 25, wherein the suture guide and suture lock are dimensioned such that a suture path formed therebetween is not co-linear with the slot formed through the row of elements when the at least one element is biased into its first position. 27. The suture clamp of claim 17, further comprising: a rail guide assembly positioned at one end of the row of elements. 28. The suture clamp of claim 27, further comprising: a suture guide assembly positioned at an opposite end of the row of elements. 29. The suture clamp of claim 28, wherein the suture guide assembly comprises: a suture guide; and a suture lock which is movably positionable with respect to the suture guide. 30. A method of clamping a suture with a suture clamp system comprising a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, wherein the elements are dimensioned such that when at least one of the elements is biased into a first position, a slot sized to accept the suture is formed through the row of elements, and wherein a tortuous path is formed through the row of elements when the elements are not biased, comprising: biasing the at least one flexible element into the first position; receiving the suture into the slot; and removing the biasing such that the tortuous path is formed. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the biasing is in a direction transverse to the length of the row. 32. The method of claim 30, wherein the biasing is performed by advancing the row of elements through a biasing device comprising a pair of rails, wherein a first portion the pair of rails are spaced apart a first distance which does not bias the row and a second portion of the pair of rails are spaced apart a second distance which biases at least one of the elements of the row when the row is received therebetween. 33. The method of claim 30, herein each of the elements are identical in shape, and wherein the row is formed by connecting together successive elements facing in opposite directions. 34. The method of claim 30, wherein a plurality of the elements comprise flexible slotted elements connected at different angles to a common base. 35. The method of claim 30, further comprising: securing the row of elements to the suture by trapping the suture between a suture guide and a suture lock, the suture guide and suture lock together comprising a suture guide assembly positioned at one end of the row of elements. 36. The method of claim 30, wherein the biasing is removed by slidably advancing the row of elements through a biasing device. 37. The method of claim 30, wherein the biasing is removed sequentially along the row of elements such that the tortuous path forms sequentially along the row of elements thereby drawing the suture into the row of elements from one end of the row of elements. 38. The method of claim 30, wherein the one end of the row of elements is the proximal end of the row of elements.
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