Abbott Laboratories Corporation

Steven C Anderson

Michael S Dana

T Daniel Gross

Dawn Ma

Maurice Marthaler

Jim Swett

Marc Terwilliger

Mitchell B Friedman

Dan Gross

A suture clamp comprising a plurality of elements positioned together in a row, each element of the plurality of elements having a lower portion separated from an upper portion by a flexible neck, each element of the plurality of elements including a slot having an outwardly facing opening, the slots from the plurality of elements configured to accept a suture element through the row of elements and secure the suture element. A method of clamping a suture, including applying a biasing force to at least one element into the first position to provide access to the outwardly facing opening of the slot, passing the suture through a tissue layer, receiving the suture into the slot through the outward facing opening, and removing the biasing force to form a tortuous path between adjacently positioned elements of the plurality of elements.

Multi element biased suture clip

A suture trimmer having a shaft with a groove formed in the side thereof, a cutting member movably disposed within the shaft, and a suture retainer slidably disposed within the shaft. The suture trimmer may be used to position knots formed within a suture loop prior to trimming the free end(s) of the suture loop, and to deliver an agent near the location where the suture is severed.

Suture trimmer

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.

Multi-element biased suture clip

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 therealong; 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.

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Mountain View, CA, United States of America

Steven C Anderson