US5002563A — Sutures utilizing shape memory alloys

Claim 1

Independent Claim 127 words

A suture for suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges comprising a member, formed of an alloy, which member has a first end portion, a second end portion and a first undeformed shape and which is deformable into a second deformed shape, said member having the property of recovering towards the first shape on being subjected to specified conditions; and the first shape being that of a suturing loop adapted to draw and hold the tissue edges defining the wound together and the second shape being adapted to allow said first end of said member to be drawn through said tissue in a position such that on recovery of the member towards the first shape the tissue edges are urged together.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 127 words

A suture for suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges comprising a member, formed of an alloy, which member has a first end portion, a second end portion and a first undeformed shape and which is deformable into a second deformed shape, said member having the property of recovering towards the first shape on being subjected to specified conditions; and the first shape being that of a suturing loop adapted to draw and hold the tissue edges defining the wound together and the second shape being adapted to allow said first end of said member to be drawn through said tissue in a position such that on recovery of the member towards the first shape the tissue edges are urged together.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second shape is longitudinally extending.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 32 words

A suture as set forth in claim 2, wherein said member in its second shape has the property of recovering substantially to the first shape on being subjected to said specified conditions.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 77 words

A suture as set forth in claim 2, wherein said alloy contains martensitic phase when said member is in said second shape and wherein the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said first shape is greater than the austenitic phase content of the alloy when the member is in the second shape and wherein said specified conditions comprise releasing stress on said member sufficiently to allow some martensitic to austenitic phase change.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 15 words

A suture as set forth in claim 4, wherein said loop shape is generally circular.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 15 words

A suture as set forth in claim 2, wherein said loop shape is generally circular.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 59 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said alloy is predominantly martensitic when said member is in said second shape and is predominantly austenitic when said member is in said first shape and wherein said specified conditions comprise raising the temperature of at least a portion of said member to at least the temperature of the patient.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 40 words

A suture as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second end portion of said member is formed into a hook adapted to engage with said first end portion of said member when said member is in its first shape.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 49 words

A suture as set forth in claim 7, wherein said second end portion of said member is formed into a hook adapted to engage with the first end portion of the member after the member has recovered towards its first shape thereby holding the edges of the wound together.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 15 words

A suture as set forth in claim 7, wherein said loop shape is generally circular.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 25 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first end portion of said member is formed into a needle adapted to pierce tissue.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 26 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, further including: a tissue piercing needle attached to extend longitudinally from said first end portion of said member.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 49 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second end portion of said member is formed into a hook adapted to engage with said first end portion of said member after said member has recovered towards its first loop shape holding the edges of the wound together.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 70 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second end portions of said member have respective exposed ends and said member has a final shape such that said first and second end portions curl so that the exposed ends do not touch the patient after the suture has been drawn through the tissue edges defining the wound and the member has recovered toward its first shape.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 59 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second end portions of said member have respective exposed ends and said member has a final shape such that said exposed ends touch the patient after the suture has been drawn through the tissue edges defining the wound and the member has recovered toward its first shape.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 70 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first and second end portions of said member have respective exposed ends and said first shape is such that said first and second end portions curl across the wound and into contact with the tissue across the wound after the suture has been drawn through the tissue edges defining the wound and the member has recovered toward its first shape.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 45 words

A suture as set forth in claim 16, wherein said first shape is such that said exposed ends do not contact the tissue after the suture has been drawn through the tissue edges defining the wound and the member has recovered toward its first shape.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 30 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second end portion of said member includes means for retarding said second end portion from being drawn through the tissue.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 28 words

A suture as set forth in claim 18, wherein said retarding means comprises an enlarged sized portion, in transverse cross-section, of said second end portion of said member.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 23 words

A suture as set forth in claim 18, wherein said retarding means comprises a bend in said second end portion of said member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 41 words

A suture as set forth in claim 1, further including: a sleeve about at least a portion of said member when said member is in its second shape and being adapted so that said member is maintained in its second shape.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 23 words

A suture as set forth in claim 21, wherein the sleeve holds at least a portion of the member in its second shape.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 36 words

A suture as set forth in claim 21, wherein the sleeve has a sharpened piercing end adapted to pierce the tissue to position the member in position to hold the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 26 words

A suture as set forth in claim 21, wherein said first end portion of said member is formed into a needle and extends from the sleeve.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 32 words

A suture as set forth in claim 21, further including: a tissue piercing needle attached to extend longitudinally from said first end portion of said member, said needle extending from said sleeve.

Claim 27

Independent Claim 91 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: inserting a member having a first undeformed suturing loop shape and a second deformed shape, said member being in its second shape, through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position for the member to recover towards its first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 91 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: inserting a member having a first undeformed suturing loop shape and a second deformed shape, said member being in its second shape, through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position for the member to recover towards its first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as set forth in claim 26, further including, after member has so recovered: interlocking first and second end portions of said member.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 67 words

A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein said member is formulated of an alloy which is predominantly martensitic when said member is in said second shape and is predominantly austenitic when said member is in said first shape and wherein said subjecting step comprises raising the temperature of at least a portion of said member to a temperature which induces martensitic to austenitic phase change.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as set forth in claim 28, further including prior to said inserting step: cooling said member to a temperature at which it can be shaped into its second shape; and shaping said member into its second shape.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 82 words

A method as set forth in claim 26, wherein said member is formulated of an alloy which contains martensitic phase when said member is in said second shape under stress and wherein the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said first shape is greater than second shape and wherein said subjecting step comprises releasing stress on said member sufficiently to allow sufficient martensitic to austenitic phase change to cause said member to recover towards its first shape.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 26, further including, prior to said inserting step: attaching a needle to a first end portion of said member.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as set forth in claim 31, further including prior to or after the member has recovered towards its first suturing loop shape: removing the needle from the first end portion of the member.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as set forth in claim 26, further including, prior to said inserting: positioning a sleeve about at least a portion of said member; and, either prior to or following said inserting, removing said sleeve from about said member.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: providing a member having a first undeformed suturing loop shape and a second deformed shape, said member being in its second shape inserting the member through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position for the member to recover towards its first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 94 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: providing a member having a first undeformed suturing loop shape and a second deformed shape, said member being in its second shape inserting the member through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position for the member to recover towards its first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, further including, after the member has so recovered: interlocking first and second end portions of said member.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 63 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said member comprises an alloy which is predominantly martensitic when said member is in said second shape and is predominantly austenitic when said member is in said first shape and wherein said subjecting step comprises raising the temperature of at least a portion of said member to at least the temperature of the patient.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as set forth in claim 36, further including, prior to said inserting step: cooling said member to a temperature at which it can be shaped into its second shape; and shaping said member into its second shape.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 78 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein: (1) the member comprises an alloy which contains martensitic phase when said member is in said second shape; (2) the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said first shape is greater than the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said second shape; and (3) the subjecting step comprises releasing stress sufficiently to allow some martensitic to austenitic phase change.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, further including, prior to said inserting step: attaching a needle to a first end portion of said member.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as set forth in claim 39, further including prior to or after the member has recovered towards its first suturing loop shape: removing the needle from the first end portion of the member.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, further including, prior to said inserting: positioning a sleeve about at least a portion of said member; and, either prior to or following said inserting, removing said sleeve from about said member.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: a member which has a first undeformed suturing loop shape into a second deformed shape; inserting the member through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position such that the member can recover towards tis first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 46

Independent Claim 88 words

A method of suturing a wound in the tissue of a patient defined by tissue edges, comprising: a member which has a first undeformed suturing loop shape into a second deformed shape; inserting the member through the tissue adjacent the tissue edges defining the wound into position such that the member can recover towards tis first suturing loop shape; and subjecting said member to conditions which cause it to recover towards its first suturing loop form whereby it draws and holds the tissue edges of the wound together.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as set forth in claim 42, further including, after the member has so recovered: interlocking first and second end portions of said member.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 63 words

A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein said member comprises an alloy which is predominantly martensitic when said member is in said second shape and is predominantly austenitic when said member is in said first shape and wherein said subjecting step comprises raising the temperature of at least a portion of said member to at least the temperature of the patient.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as set forth in claim 44, further including, prior to said inserting step: cooling said member to a temperature at which it can be shaped into its second shape; and shaping said member into its second shape.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 78 words

A method as set forth in claim 42, wherein: (1) the member comprises an alloy which contains martensitic phase when said member is in said second shape; (2) the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said first shape is greater than the austenitic phase content of the alloy when said member is in said second shape; and (3) the subjecting step comprises releasing stress sufficiently to allow some martensitic to austenitic phase change.

Claim 51

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 42, further including, prior to said inserting step: attaching a needle to a first end portion of said member.

Claim 52

Dependent Claim 35 words

A method as set forth in claim 47, further including prior to or after the member has recovered towards its first suturing loop shape: removing the needle from the first end portion of the member.

Claim 53

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as set forth in claim 42, further including, prior to said inserting: positioning a sleeve about at least a portion of said member; and, either prior to or following said inserting, removing said sleeve from about said member.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-03-25	1994-09-24	1995-03-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-03-25	1998-09-24	1999-03-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-03-25	2002-09-24	2003-03-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Sutures utilizing shape memory alloys

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