Other

Ideas for Medicine, Inc.

O Drew Grice

Michael Buhler

Thomas H Benham

A laparo-suture needle and method for use thereof. A medical suturing instrument employs an outer, hollow shaft having a laterally-disposed, elongate handle at a proximal end and an elongate, inner shaft disposed within the outer shaft. The inner shaft has a cutting edge at the distal end and extends out of the outer shaft at the proximal end, terminating in a spring-loaded push button. A lateral notch is formed in the inner shaft proximal of the cutting edge. The spring forces the inner shaft rearwardly so as to pull the notch within the outer shaft. By gripping the handle and placing pressure on the push button, the inner shaft is moved forward so as to expose the notch. A suture may then be placed in the notch so that the instrument grips the suture between the outer shaft and the inner shaft when the push button is released. The instrument is used for suturing muscle at an incision by gripping the end of a suture, forcing the distal end of the instrument beneath the epidermis within an incision, into the fatty tissue and through the muscle adjacent one side of the incision to force the suture through the muscle.

Laparo-suture needle and method for use thereof

A medical knot tying instrument having a first member including proximal and distal ends, a gripping mechanism for releasably gripping a first length of suture proximate the distal end of the first member and a holding mechanism for releasably holding a second length of suture proximate the location where the gripping mechanism grips the first length of suture but separated therefrom a predetermined distance toward the first member's proximal end. Gripping one length of suture using the gripping mechanism and holding a second length of suture using the holding mechanism, the instrument is rotated in one angular direction so that the second length of suture forms a loop around the instrument whereupon the second length is grasped using a separate grasping instrument. The second length is then released from the holding mechanism and the two lengths of suture are moved in opposite directions so that the loop slides along and off the instrument while the first length passes through the loop of the second length, thereby forming a throw of a knot.

Growing community of inventors

New Bern, NC, United States of America

O Drew Grice