Inlet Medical, Inc.

Other

James E Carter

Mark J Legome

Neil H Naves

Rodger D Thomason

John D Cook

Jose M Velez

Lee A Jones

Robert A Gabler

The suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide. The suture is recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion. The tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide. The suture is pulled outside the wound, providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision. The guide is insertable within the wound to be closed and guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide for optimum wound closure. The surgical instrument and method may be used to advantageously shorten and strengthen ligaments. For example, by gathering and reinforcing the round ligament that supports a woman's uterus with suture materials, surgeons can reposition and stabilize a retroverted uterus. Other devices may be also used in connection with retracting and reinforcing connective tissue. For example, rather than relying entirely on suture material to hold connective tissue in a retracted state, a device having one or more anchors may be inserted into connective tissue.

Devices for investing within ligaments for retracting and reinforcing the same

A surgical instrument, guide, and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue. A tip of a surgical instrument in a standard suture-/needle-driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip is provided. Insertion of the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision begins the wound-closing procedure. The suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide. The suture is recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion. The tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide. The suture is pulled outside the wound, providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision. The guide is insertable within the wound to be closed and guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide for optimum wound closure. Alternative embodiments of the guide include providing a slot through which non-linear surgical instruments may pass through an open or enclosed passageway.

Insertable suture passing grasping probe and methodology for using same

A surgical instrument, guide, and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue. A tip of a surgical instrument in a standard suture-/needle-driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip is provided. Insertion of the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision begins the wound-closing procedure. The suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide. The suture is recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion. The tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide. The suture is pulled outside the wound, providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision. The guide is insertable within the wound to be closed and guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide for optimum wound closure. The surgical instrument and method may be used to advantageously shorten and strengthen ligaments. For example, by gathering and reinforcing the round ligament that supports a woman's uterus with suture materials, surgeons can reposition and stabilize a retroverted uterus.

Method of using needle-point suture passer to retract and reinforce

A manual dilating trocar uses an automatically retracting stylet. The stylet is threaded through a dilating obturator which is, in turn, inserted into a trocar sheath. A spring near the handle of the stylet serves to urge the stylet cutting tip into a retracted position so that it can be held within the dilating tip of the dilating obturator. When a surgeon seeks to pierce a body cavity so as to perform laparoscopic surgery or the like, the handle is engaged to overcome the bias of the spring so that the stylet's cutting tip is exposed. Upon piercing of the exterior body-cavity layer, the stylet may be withdrawn to ensure that no underlying organs or tissue are damaged by the sharp stylet tip. Once the dilation of the initial stylet wound has been completed and the trocar sheath has been introduced into the body cavity, the dilating obturator may also be removed from within the trocar sheath in order to provide a channel into the body cavity. In an alternative embodiment, the stylet may be spring biased to expose the cutting tip, and a lock pin may be used so that energy stored in the spring can be brought to bear upon the stylet and to deliver a sharp cutting thrust of the stylet tip against any tough or obstructive tissue.

Retractable disposable tip reusable trocar obturator

Medical instrument handle

A surgical instrument, guide and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision, wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide, and recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide, and outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision, and wherein a guide insertable within the wound to be closed guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide.

Insertable suture grasping probe guide, and methodology for using same

A surgical instrument and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to passing of suture through tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip and recovered by puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision.

The protective leg or arm covering is manufactured from a sheet of material that is cut or sewn into a blank having the shape to protect the portion of the leg or arm desired. The leg and arm protector features: (1) elastic webbing straps for versatility and hook and loop fasteners for closure; (2) a single strip of loop fastener placed down the middle of the inside of the leg and arm protector so that knee pads, shin guards, thigh pads, and/or arm guards can be secured by placing hook fasteners on one side of the pads and guards, also making them fully adjustable when placed along the inside strip of loop fastener; (3) a horizontal patch of hook fastener placed at the lower elevation on the inside of the leg and arm protector creating the ability for height adjustment to be made by securing to the strip of loop fastener placed along the middle of the inside of the leg and arm protector; (4) a pocket is formed by adding another sheet of material to the inside or outside surface of the leg and arm protector; this pocket can be used to insert pads, guards and other accessories for protection when placed on the inside of the leg and arm protector and as a carrying aid when placed on the outside of the leg and arm protector.

Leg and arm protector

A debris/storage bag that attaches with straps connected to at least two different sides of the bag. The straps are designed to attach to both fixed and variable distances. The debris/storage bag features: (1) a pocket or pockets attached preferably to the exterior of the bag; (2) a flap covering for the opening of the debris/storage bag that can be fastened to keep the contents of the bag from falling out; (3) elastic and non-elastic straps used in conjunction with adjustable fasteners to attach the debris/storage bag to a wide variety of objects with different size circumferences and varying distances between the top and bottom fastening positions.

Debris/storage bag

A protective leg or arm covering is manufactured from a single piece of material. The material is cut into a blank having the shape to fit the purpose needed to protect the portion of the leg or arm desired. It is designed to be wrapped around the leg or arm, securing snugly but comfortably in the area of protection from the top of the leg or arm with the lateral edges extending to the bottom of the leg or arm or any partial area in between. A hook and pile closure sewn at the corners of the top and the bottom elevations of said blank of material provides the user with adjustability to the desired snugness of the fit. A hook and pile closure sewn along the lateral edges of said blank of material provides the user with full or partial protection from anything that would penetrate or enter the opening along said lateral edges. The device is light weight, having no metal strips for support or other heavy objects required in its construction, requires nothing to be removed on the leg, foot, or arm to be attached securely to the leg or arm of the wearer, and is quick and easy to put on and take off.

A protective leg covering is manufactured from a single piece of material. The material is cut into a blank having a rectangular shape. It is designed to be wrapped around the leg, securing snugly but comfortably two to three inches above the knee with the longitudinal edges of the leg section extending down to the top of the arch of the foot in front and above the bottom of the heel in back. A hook and pile closure sewn at the corners of the top and the bottom elevations of said blank of material provides the user with adjustability to the desired snugness of the fit. The device is light weight, having no metal strips, straps or other heavy objects required in its construction, requires nothing to be removed or adjusted on the leg or foot to be attached to the leg of the wearer, and is easy and quick to put on and take off.

Growing community of inventors

Dana Point, CA, United States of America

James E Carter