Surgical apparatus for closing wounds

Claim 2

Apparatus for closing a wound comprising a plurality of curved stylets, a carrier strip of semi-rigid material, one end of each stylet being received in and rigidly anchored in the carrier strip, the anchored ends of the stylets being spaced along and in a single row lengthwise of the carrier strip, the stylets being parallel to each other, the carrier strip having a substantially flat surface on one side, the stylets projecting out of said surface adjacent one edge of the strip with the stylet projecting in the direction of the opposite edge of the strip.

Claim 3

Apparatus of claim 1 further including releasable attaching means on the carrier strip on the side opposite said flat surface by which a band may be attached to the carrier strip.

Claim 4

Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the carrier includes a plurality of integral fingers projecting along one edge and forming an extension of said surface, the fingers extending in the direction of the curved stylets.

Claim 5

Apparatus of claim 2 in which the carrier is scored in a direction parallel to and between the planes of the stylets and between the fingers to permit the carrier to be readily broken off between adjacent stylets to selectable lengths.

Claim 6

Apparatus of claim 1 further including means forming a compressable chamber on the opposite side of the carrier strip from said flat surface, the carrier strip forming one wall of the chamber, at least one stylet having a passage extending the length of the stylet and communicating with the interior of said chamber.

Claim 7

Apparatus for closing a wound comprising a pair of tissue-gripping units, each unit including an elongated carrier strip and a plurality of parallel curved cantilever-supported hooks having one end anchored in the strip and the other terminating in a very sharp tapered point, and means for adjustably mounting said carrier strips means detachably connected to and extending between the carrier strips for holding the strips in spaced relationship to each other with the points of the hooks associated with one carrier strip extending toward the point of the hooks associated with the other carrier strip said mounting means comprising a strap of flexible material, and means detachably securing the strap to each of the strips at selected positions along the length of the straps to hold the strips in variably spaced parallel relationship to each other.

Claim 8

Apparatus for closing a wound comprising a pair of tissue-gripping units, each unit including an elongated carrier strip and a plurality of parallel curved cantilever-supported hooks having one end anchored in the strip and the other terminating in a very sharp tapered point, and means for adjustably mounting said carrier strips means detachably connected to and extending between the carrier strips for holding the strips in spaced relationship to each other with the points of the hooks associated with one carrier strip extending toward the point of the hooks associated with the other carrier strip said mounting means comprising a strap of flexible material, and means detachably securing the strap to each of the strips at selected positions along the length of the straps to hold the strips in variably spaced parallel relationship to each other.

Claim 9

Apparatus of claim 6 wherein the strap includes two sections at either end that are relatively rigid joined by a flexible intermediate section, the strap being foldable in the flexible section to bring the two end sections together to form a tweezer-shaped applicator for gripping each of the strips during insertion of the hooks into the tissue adjacent the wound.

Claim 10

Apparatus of claim 7 wherein at least one end section of the strap is formed with a plurality of equally spaced projecting fingers, the fingers being spaced to fit into the spaces between the parallel hooks.

Claim 11

Apparatus of claim 7 wherein the end sections of the strap are separable from the intermediate section.