Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A urethral suture guide comprising an elongated member (101) with a substantially straight major portion (115) and with a distal end (117) to which an interchangeable tip (FIGs.3 to 7) is to be mounted, characterised by an attachment mechanism (107) with a first interconnection part (108) included in the said distal end and with a second interconnection part (112) at the proximal end of the interchangeable tip, the interconnection parts being formed to cooperate so that the tip is mountable in a freely rotatable manner.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
79 words
A urethral suture guide comprising: an attachment mechanism (107) having first (109) and second (108) interconnection parts freely longitudinally rotatable when interconnected; an elongated member (101) having a substantially straight portion (115), a distal end portion (117) and a curved or inclined portion (116) positioned between said straight and distal end portions, said distal end portion including said second interconnection part; and an interchangeable tip (102) having a distal end and a proximal end including said first interconnection part.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
43 words
The guide of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said tip includes a longitudinally extending cylindrical body (106) without or with at least one aperture (141,142) extending laterally therethrough, or includes a tapered body (105) with a channel (154) extending longitudinally therealong.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The guide of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that one interconnection part includes a receptacle (108) and the other includes a projection (113), said receptacle and said projection being interconnected and longitudinally rotatable when said projection is selectively positioned in said receptacle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
83 words
The guide of claim 4, characterised in that said projection includes a neck (132) and a head (133) extending longitudinally from and wider than said neck and wherein said receptacle includes a chamber (128) larger than said head and a collar (125) having a passageway larger than said neck and communicating with said chamber, said neck having a length longer than said passageway of said collar, said head being shaped for selective passage through said passageway of said collar and into said chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The guide of claim 5, characterised in that said collar has a plurality of internal threads in said passageway, and in that said head has a plurality of external threads matching said internal threads.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
60 words
The guide of claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said tip includes an elongated body having a longitudinally extending semi-cylindrical portion (146), said semi-cylindrical portion being without or with an aperture (147) extending laterally therethrough, and without or with a channel (148) having a semi-cylindrical surface extending longitudinally and proximally from said distal end and communicating with said aperture.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The guide of claim 3, characterised in that a second aperture, when formed, communicates with the first mentioned aperture.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
77 words
An interchangeable tip (FIGs.3 to 7) for connection to the distal end (117) of a urethral suture guide (100) via an attachment mechanism (107) forming parts of the guide and the tip, characterised in that the attachment mechanism comprises a receptacle (108) and a projection (113) which are so arranged that when they are interconnected, they serve to lock the projection within the receptacle, and to permit the tip to freely rotate with respect to the guide.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
181 words
A method of placing sutures about a severed end of tubular body duct by using a suture guide characterised by an elongated cylindrical member having a substantially straight portion and a distal end portion including a second interconnection part; and an interchangeable tip having a distal end, a proximal end including a first interconnection part longitudinally and rotatably interconnected with said second interconnection part, and a cylindrical body extending longitudinally between said ends and having an aperture extending laterally therethrough; said method characterised by positioning said suture guide into said duct with said distal end of said tip protruding and said aperture partially protruding from said severed end of said duct; placing a needle with a suture attached thereto through one side of said duct about said severed end, said aperture, and out the opposite side of said duct; pushing said tip and said aperture with said suture extending therethrough out of said severed end of said duct; and cutting said suture extending through said aperture to form two suture pieces on opposite sides of said duct about said severed end.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
The method of claim 10, further characterised by rotating said interchangeable tip by at least one step of a predetermined angle and positioning said suture guide with said aperture partially protruding from said severed end of said duct, and placing a needle with another suture through one side of said duct about said severed end, said aperture, and out the opposite side of said duct for each step; pushing said tip and said aperture with said other suture placed therethrough out of said severed end of said duct for each step and cutting said other suture extending through said aperture for each step to form additional suture pieces on opposite sides of said duct about said severed end.