IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
UP-0461323
(2006-07-31)
|
등록번호 |
US-7806910
(2010-10-26)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
340 |
초록
▼
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 there along; 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 individual elements positioned together in a row, each individual element comprising a lower portion, a flexible neck extending from the lower portion, and an upper portion having a slot, the plurality of slot portions of the plurality
What is claimed is: 1. A suture clamp comprising a plurality of individual elements positioned together in a row, each individual element comprising a lower portion, a flexible neck extending from the lower portion, and an upper portion having a slot, the plurality of slot portions of the plurality of individual elements defining a slot sized to accept a suture element through the row of individual elements when the individual elements are biased into a first position with the plurality of slot portions longitudinally aligned, the flexible necks of adjacently positioned individual elements moved towards one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal slot and the upper portions of adjacently positioned individual elements moved apart in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the plurality of slot portions define a tortuous path for the suture element when at least one of the individual elements is unbiased to a second position with a portion of the upper portion of one individual element resting against the upper portion of an adjacently positioned individual element and the flexible necks of adjacently positioned individual elements being moved away from one another in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the tortuous path preventing passage of the suture through the slot portions of adjacently positioned separate elements. 2. The suture clamp according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the individual elements are flexible. 3. The suture clamp according to claim 1, wherein the suture clamp is constructed of nitinol. 4. The suture clamp according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of elements are bonded together to form a single suture clamp. 5. The suture clamp according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of individual elements are sized to receive a second suture element therethrough. 6. The suture clamp according to claim 5, wherein the first and second suture elements comprise ends of a suture loop. 7. The suture clamp according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of separate elements are generally identically shaped. 8. A suture clamp comprising a plurality of separate modular, non-integrally formed elements positioned adjacently together in a row, each separate modular element comprising an upper portion having a slot adapted to receive a suture element, a flexible neck extending from the upper portion, and a lower portion extending from the flexible neck, the plurality of slots of the plurality of separate modular elements configured to accept the first suture element through the row of separate modular elements when the separate modular elements are biased to a first position with the plurality of slots being longitudinally aligned, the flexible necks of adjacently positioned separate modular elements moved towards one another in a direction transverse to the longitudinal slot and the upper portions of adjacently positioned separate modular elements moved apart in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the plurality of slots define a tortuous path for the first suture element when at least one of the separate modular elements is unbiased in a second position where the upper portions of adjacent separate modular elements are moved toward one another in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the tortuous path preventing passage of the suture through the slots of adjacently positioned separate elements. 9. The suture clamp according to claim 8, wherein the flexible element is in the first position when biased. 10. The suture clamp according to claim 8, wherein the suture clamp is constructed of nitinol. 11. The suture clamp according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of elements are bonded together to form a single suture clamp. 12. The suture clamp according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of elements are sized to receive a second suture element therethrough. 13. The suture clamp according to claim 12, wherein the first and second suture elements comprise ends of a suture loop. 14. The suture clamp according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of separate elements are generally identically shaped. 15. A method of clamping a suture passing through a tissue layer with a suture clamp system comprising a plurality of separate, non-integrally formed elements positioned together in a row along a pair of rods, each separate element comprising an upper portion having a slot portion, the separate element further including a flexible neck extending from the upper portion to a lower portion, wherein the separate elements are such that when at least one of the separate elements is biased into a first position, the plurality of slot portions of the plurality of separate elements define a slot to accept a suture is formed through the row of individual elements, and the plurality of slot portions defining a tortuous path through the separate elements when the separate elements are not biased, the tortuous path preventing passage of the suture through the slot portions of adjacently positioned separate elements, the method comprising: applying a biasing force to the at least one separate element to bias at least one separate element into the first position from a second position, the first position having the slot portion of the at least one separate element longitudinally aligned with the slot portion of an adjacently positioned another at least one separate element, the flexible necks of adjacently positioned separate elements moved towards one another in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the upper portions of adjacently positioned separate elements moved apart in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot, the second position having the separate elements defining the tortuous path and preventing passage of the suture through the slot portions of adjacently positioned separate elements, passing the suture through a tissue layer, receiving the suture into the slots of the plurality of separate elements, and removing the biasing force to move the at least one separate element to form the tortuous path to secure the suture passing through the slot portions of the plurality of separate elements within the suture clamp system and to move the upper portion of the at least one separate element toward the upper portion of an adjacently positioned separate element in the direction transverse to the longitudinal slot. 16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the biasing step comprises using a biasing device to bias the at least one separate element. 17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the receiving step comprises receiving two sutures into the slot. 18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the biasing step comprises biasing in a direction transverse to a length of the row. 19. The method according to claim 15, further comprising securing the row of separate elements to the suture. 20. The method according to claim 15, wherein the step of removing the biasing comprises slidably advancing the row of separate elements through a biasing device.
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