Arthrex, Gmbh

David S Morrison

Peter J Dreyfuss

Thomas Dooney, Jr

Randall Lee Hacker

A suturing instrument having a dock at the end for receiving and securing a needle attached to a suture. The suturing instrument includes a cannulated handle attached to the proximal end of a cannulated shaft. The proximal end of a needle is removably received and securely received in the curved needle dock formed on the distal end of the shaft. The suture attached to the needle passes through the shaft and out the proximal end of the handle. Once the instrument is inserted into the body (usually through a cannula), the suture is retracted at the proximal end of the instrument handle, which draws the attached needle into the needle dock. The suture dock preferably has a compound curvature which prevents substantial rotation of the needle upon insertion.

Suturing instrument with needle dock

Flexible button cannulas for arthroscopic surgery made from silicone, or a similar flexible material. Exemplary embodiments of the button cannula have large inner and outer flanges for improved stability when installed into the body. Exemplary embodiments of the button cannula include two fluid dams. A first dam is located within the cannula elongated portal between the inner and outer flanges and prevents fluid from squirting out of the body when instruments are being inserted through the cannula. A second dam is located at the outer, or top, flange (i.e., the flange that remains outside of the body) to prevent fluid from squirting when the cannula itself is being inserted within the body. Exemplary embodiments of the button cannula also include an outer, or top, flange that is thicker than the inner, or bottom, flange, to prevent the over insertion of the cannula into the body.

Button cannula

A multi-stranded suture having a stiff portion adjacent to at least one end of the suture to facilitate advancement of the suture through a cannulated surgical suturing instrument. The suture preferably has a non-stiff distal tip to provide flexibility for passing the suture through bends in the surgical instrument.

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Long Beach, CA, United States of America

David S Morrison