Instrument for placing purse-string sutures

Claim 2

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of! a suture at a preselected depth in a material, comprising at least one jaw having spaced teeth and a needle track extending longitudinally through said jaw disposed above and in communication with the clamping line of said teeth at a preselected height, and a back-up means for use in cooperation with said jaw, whereby when the material is clamped between said jaw and the back-up means, the material is compressed by said teeth against the back-up means, and is permitted to bulge into said spaces between said teeth so that a needle and suture, in passing through said track, passes through the mat- erial at the preselected depth. 3

Claim 3

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a purse-string suture in a tubular structure, comprising a barrette-like structure having upper and lowerjaws hinged together at one end, said jaws having spaced clamping teeth with the teeth on 70 said upper jaw being opposed to the teeth on said lower jaw whereby when a tubular structure is clamped between said jaws, the portions thereof between said pairs of opposing clamping teeth bulge out into said spaces, a needle track in each of said jaws disposed respectively above and below the clamping line of said teeth, whereby a needle and suture, in passing through the track of one of said jaws passes the suture through the portions of said tubular structure bulging into the spaces between the teeth on said one of said jaws, and in passing back through the track on the other of said jaws passes the suture through the portions of said tubular structure bulging into the spaces between the teeth on said other jaw, the tracks in the respective jaws communicating with each other, so that, when said jaws are unlatched and opened, said tubular structure, with the purse- string suture in place, may be removed from the instrument.

Claim 4

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a purse-string suture in a tubular structure, comprising a barrette-like structure having upper and lowerjaws hinged together at one end, said jaws having spaced clamping teeth with the teeth on 70 said upper jaw being opposed to the teeth on said lower jaw whereby when a tubular structure is clamped between said jaws, the portions thereof between said pairs of opposing clamping teeth bulge out into said spaces, a needle track in each of said jaws disposed respectively above and below the clamping line of said teeth, whereby a needle and suture, in passing through the track of one of said jaws passes the suture through the portions of said tubular structure bulging into the spaces between the teeth on said one of said jaws, and in passing back through the track on the other of said jaws passes the suture through the portions of said tubular structure bulging into the spaces between the teeth on said other jaw, the tracks in the respective jaws communicating with each other, so that, when said jaws are unlatched and opened, said tubular structure, with the purse- string suture in place, may be removed from the instrument.

Claim 5

The instrument of claim 2 wherein the width of the spaces between the respective pairs of upper and lowerteeth is about the same as the width of said teeth.

Claim 6

The instrument of claim 2 wherein one of said jaws is provided with a stud for engagement by a hemostat or the like.

Claim 7

The instrument of claim 2 wherein each of said jaws is provided with a cutting guide spaced from said needle track by a distance to provide a suitable cuff when excess tissue is cut off by means of a scalpel.

Claim 8

The instrument of claim 5 wherein one of said jaws is provided with a number of projections, and the other of said jaws is provided with a correspond- ing number of mating depressions, the projections and depressions cooperating to hold the clamped tissue and prevent its sliding when excess tissue is severed by means of a scalpel.

Claim 9

The instrument of claim 6 wherein said projec- tions are conical, and said depressions conform to the conical shape of said projections.

Claim 10

The instrument of claim 2 wherein said jaws are provided with cooperating latching means.

Claim 11

The instrument of claim 8 wherein said upper jaw is provided with a latch aperture and a latch seat, and wherein said lower jaw is provided with a latch member biased to engagement with said latch seat, said latch member having a releasing portion extending through said aperture for engagement by the surgeon's finger or with suitable instrument.

Claim 12

The instrument of claim 9, being of plastic material, said latch member being integral with said lower jaw and being resilient, so as to snap into engagement with said latch seat, and being releas- able by a finger actuation of said releasing portion.

Claim 13

The instrument of claim 2 molded of a plastic material capable of sterilization by standard methods, and thus being pre-sterilizable for disposable one-time use.

Claim 14

The instrument of claim 2, wherein the axis of GB 2 081099 A 3 hinging is at an angle to the axis of said jaws, and wherein one of said jaws is provided with a stud normal to said hinging axis for engagement by a hemostat or the like at an angle convenient for the surgeon.

Claim 15

The instrument of claim 2 wherein the position of the needle tracks in said jaws are so disposed above and below with respect to the clamping line of said teeth as to insure proper placement of the purse-string suture in said tubular structure.

Claim 16

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a suture at a preselected depth in a material, substafitially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claim 17

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a suture at a preselected depth in a material, substafitially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Claim 18

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a purse-string suture in a tubular structure, sub stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by The Tweeddale Press Ltd., Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1982. Published atthe Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.

Claim 19

An instrument to facilitate the emplacement of a purse-string suture in a tubular structure, sub stantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by The Tweeddale Press Ltd., Berwick-upon-Tweed, 1982. Published atthe Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A lAY, from which copies may be obtained.