Ethicon, Gmbh

Other

Mitek Surgical Products Inc.

Brian H Luscombe

Dennis D Jamiolkowski

Izi Bruker

Gene W Kammerer

Susanne Landgrebe

Thu Anh Le

Hans-Jochen Hoepffner

Daniel C Rosenman

Jack S Pedlick

Steven F Harwin

Jorn Lehe

Michael F Bregen

David A Witt

Leslie Hamilton

Shawn Thayer Huxel

Alexei Goraltchouk

Ulf Ulmsten

Robert A Herrmann

William L D'Agostino

Mark G Steckel

John DiGiovanni

Kirk M Nicola

John Di Giovanni

Rui Avelar

Keith A Seritella

Sung S Yi

William Zwaskis

Laura Angelini

Chao-Chen Chen

Raymond Thal

Anh Le

Mark Cofone

John Digiovanni

Mark A Cofone

A marked heterofunctional suture thread has two or more sections having different features. One or more sections of the suture thread are provided with laser-marked and non-laser marked indicia in order that they may be identified and differentiated from other sections. The suture thread may have retainers on the surface of one or more sections such that the suture thread can engage and retain tissue without knots. The markers may be used to indicate fixed features of a section of suture thread such as the presence and/orientation of retainers. In particular embodiments, laser-marked and non-laser marked indicia are used to identify the transition section of a bidirectional self-retaining suture.

Bidirectional self-retaining sutures with laser-marked and/or non-laser marked indicia and methods

Described is a surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence. The instrument includes a first curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal, a mesh for implanting into the lower abdomen of a female to provide support to the urethra; a second curved needle element having a proximal end and a distal end, and a coupler for simultaneous attachment to the distal end of the first needle and the distal end of the second needle.

Surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary incontinence

Described is a surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence. The instrument includes a first curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal, a tape, or mesh, for implanting into the lower abdomen of a female to provide support to the urethra; a second curved needle element having a proximal end and a distal end, and a coupler for simultaneous attachment to the distal end of the first needle and the distal end of the second needle. In an alternate embodiment, the second curved needle is an anesthesia needle and the method includes anesthetizing the needle pathway through a patient's body to facilitate the passage of the first needle and mesh therethrough.

A medical device is provided including a mesh having a first mesh portion of natural material positioned between second and third mesh portions of a synthetic material. The mesh is adapted, when implanted in a female patient, to provide support to the urethra with the first mesh portion positioned below the urethra. A method is also provided for treating female urinary incontinence including providing such a mesh, and implanting the mesh to provide support for the urethra so that the first mesh portion is positioned below the urethra.

A is a surgical instrument and method for treating female urinary stress incontinence. The instrument includes a curved needle-like element defining in part a curved shaft having a distal end and a proximal end. The diameter of the needle decreases from the proximal end to the distal end, and the needle terminates in a blunt tip. A tape attaches to the needle for implanting into the lower abdomen of a female to provide support to the urethra. The tape may be made from synthetic and natural materials. The needle and tape may also be modified to allow the surgeon to attach and detach the tape during the surgical operation.

A suture anchor is described which in one form may be easily fabricated from extruded material by angular cuts and bore holes which provide an offset pulling force to the suture. In an alternate and preferred embodiment the suture anchor is injection molded having an annular displaced corner and abutment wall which act to seat the suture anchor firmly within a bore hole. Novel application means are also disclosed which hold the suture anchor on a frangible shaft for insertion and upon completion of the insertion permit fracture of the frangible portion and removal of the instrument.

Wedge shaped suture anchor and method of implantation

A suture anchor having an anchor member, a central shaft and outwardly extending wing members. A suture mounting hole is provided in the suture anchor for receiving a surgical suture. The suture anchor is inserted into a bore hole in a bone as part of an orthopedic surgical procedure wherein soft tissue such as a tendon is attached to the surface of the bone. Optionally, bone tissue may be attached to the surface of the bone. The wings may have cutting edges or piercing points. The suture anchors may have screw threads on their outer surfaces.

Suture anchor device

A suture anchor device having an anchor member with outwardly extending wing members and an actuating wedge member. The suture anchor device is inserted into a bore hole in a bone as part of an orthopedic surgical procedure wherein soft tissue such as a tendon or ligament is attached to the surface of the bone. The wing members are spread outwardly by the wedge member to lock the suture anchor device in the bone. The suture anchor has similar utility in soft tissue applications.

Umbrella-shaped suture anchor device with actuating ring member

A two-piece suture anchor is disclosed wherein a barrel-like main portion is provided with a pair of legs in a central opening. A ball-like actuating device is received within the central opening and drawn upward into the device in order to separate the legs and cause the device to expand into the soft cancellous bone of a previously prepared bone site.

Two-piece suture anchor with barbs

A surgical staple for use in surgical procedures. The surgical staple has a crown having a hollow frame. The frame has a top slot in communication with the interior of the crown frame. At least two legs are pivotally mounted in the frame such that when the staple is inserted into tissue and the legs are rotated inwardly, the staple secures tissue and the legs are locked in a fixed position. In an alternate embodiment, at least one leg is pivotally mounted to the frame and at least one leg is fixedly mounted to the frame.

Three piece surgical staple

A method of tissue compression is disclosed herein where the device to cause such compression is composed of a fastener bar and receiver. The device has the capability to self-adjust to tissues of varying thicknesses to cause hemostasis. This tissue gap variability allows for compression of regions of tissue where thick and thin tissue are both present. This variability also enables the same device to be used on a wide variety of tissues of different thicknesses. The tissue fastener bar of this invention contains a series of cut-out portions which distribute the compressive forces along the device in an alternating, staggered manner. The receiver is of a generally U-shaped configuration with the fastener bar being contained at least partially within the U-shape. Compression occurs between the side walls of the receiver and the fastener bar and variability in gap is accomplished by flexure of the side walls of the receiver. Varying side wall flexure is enhanced by cut-out portions in the receiver which allow each segment to flex somewhat independently. A number of options also exist for configuration of the fastener bar and/or receiver with the same basic method of compression being unchanged.

Two part surgical fastener

A method of clamping suture strand by applying heat and compressive force to a polymeric surgical clip having first and second opposed leg members so as to clamp the suture strand between the opposed inner clamping surfaces of the first and second leg members; a surgical clip defined by first and second leg members, the first leg member having a hole therein; and a surgical device for clamping a clip about a suture, such device defined by a trigger-activated handle, clamping jaws with a heating element disposed on one of the clamping members of the clamping jaws, a shaft connecting the jaws to the handle, and means for activating the heating element and for delivering compressive force to the clamping jaws to close the clip about a suture.

Endoscopic suture clip applying device with heater

A two-part surgical fastener comprises a staple and a receiver which are adapted to secure body tissue together. The staple is generally U-shaped and includes at least two prongs with barbed distal ends which penetrate the tissue and are latched by the receiver. Each prong of the staple is configured as an elongated prism of hexagonal cross-section and includes a barbed tip with an enlarged hexagonal cross-section at its free end. Each aperture of the receiver is hexagonal in configuration and includes a pair of opposed ledges for engaging the barbed tip. The tip of each prong has a pointed distal end formed by a first pair of sloped surfaces which form the sharp angle and a second pair of sloped surfaces which form a blunt angle. The staple includes longitudinal ridges or grooves on the prongs which are engaged and guided by longitudinal channels or ribs provided in a staple cartridge. The staple and receiver consist of bioabsorbable material.

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Warren, NJ, United States of America

Brian H Luscombe