Apparatuses and methods for formation and use of a slipknot as a surgical suture knot

Claim 1

An apparatus for forming a capstan knot from a filament comprising: a sliding pin plate having a moving pin attached thereto and extending therefrom; a pin plate having a plurality of stationary pins extending therefrom; and a middle plate with a plurality of pin holes and a slot passing therethrough for respectively receiving said stationary pins and said moving pin therethrough, said stationary pins and said moving pin when extending through said middle plate together defining a first filament path on a middle plate interior face of said middle plate for threading said filament, said middle plate interior face having a first ridge, a first ridge receiving recess, and a elongate channel formed thereon, said first ridge and said first ridge receiving recess serving to orient said filament when threaded to traverse said first path whereby passing an end of said filament along said elongate channel completes formation of said capstan knot.

Claim 2

An apparatus for forming a capstan knot from a filament comprising: a sliding pin plate having a moving pin attached thereto and extending therefrom; a pin plate having a plurality of stationary pins extending therefrom; and a middle plate with a plurality of pin holes and a slot passing therethrough for respectively receiving said stationary pins and said moving pin therethrough, said stationary pins and said moving pin when extending through said middle plate together defining a first filament path on a middle plate interior face of said middle plate for threading said filament, said middle plate interior face having a first ridge, a first ridge receiving recess, and a elongate channel formed thereon, said first ridge and said first ridge receiving recess serving to orient said filament when threaded to traverse said first path whereby passing an end of said filament along said elongate channel completes formation of said capstan knot.

Claim 3

An apparatus for forming a knot from a filament comprising: a plate having a plate interior face with a plurality of guide pins extending above said plate interior face, said guide pins for defining in first and second dimensions a first filament path on said plate interior face for a filament to traverse substantially in a first plane; said plate interior face further includes for defining said first filament path in a third dimension, first positioning means for diverting a first portion of said filament in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said first plane and second positioning means for diverting a second portion of said filament from said first plane generally in a second direction, substantially opposite said first direction; said plate interior face further exhibiting indicia which defines a second filament path by following which second filament path a needle segment of said filament threaded to traverse said first filament path completes formation of said knot.

Claim 4

An apparatus for forming a knot from a filament comprising: a plate having a plate interior face with a plurality of guide pins extending above said plate interior face, said guide pins for defining in first and second dimensions a first filament path on said plate interior face for a filament to traverse substantially in a first plane; said plate interior face further includes for defining said first filament path in a third dimension, first positioning means for diverting a first portion of said filament in a first direction substantially perpendicular to said first plane and second positioning means for diverting a second portion of said filament from said first plane generally in a second direction, substantially opposite said first direction; said plate interior face further exhibiting indicia which defines a second filament path by following which second filament path a needle segment of said filament threaded to traverse said first filament path completes formation of said knot.

Claim 10

A method for forming a capstan knot comprising the steps of: selecting a filament with a needle segment; selecting an apparatus comprising: a middle plate having a middle plate interior face with a plurality of guide pins extending above said middle plate interior face, said guide pins defining a first filament path on said traverse substantially in a first plane, said middle plate interior face further having positioning means for positioning said filament in directions substantially perpendicular to said first plane; said middle plate interior face further exhibiting indicia which defines a second filament path by following which second filament path the needle segment of said filament threaded to traverse said first filament path completes formation of said capstan knot; threading said filament so as to traverse said first filament path; and passing said needle segment of said filament along said second filament path.

Claim 11

A method for forming a capstan knot comprising the steps of: selecting a filament with a needle segment; selecting an apparatus comprising: a middle plate having a middle plate interior face with a plurality of guide pins extending above said middle plate interior face, said guide pins defining a first filament path on said traverse substantially in a first plane, said middle plate interior face further having positioning means for positioning said filament in directions substantially perpendicular to said first plane; said middle plate interior face further exhibiting indicia which defines a second filament path by following which second filament path the needle segment of said filament threaded to traverse said first filament path completes formation of said capstan knot; threading said filament so as to traverse said first filament path; and passing said needle segment of said filament along said second filament path.

Claim 16

A method for forming a capstan knot comprising the steps of: selecting a tubular member and a filament, said tubular member having a first and a second tube end; with the long axis of said tubular member situated in a fixed reference orientation in a first plane (such as a vertical orientation relative to an individual forming said knot), doubling a length of said filament adjacent to said tubular member and on a first side of said tubular member (such as a side of said tubular member opposite from said individual) such that a first filament bight is formed at a first bight point situated on said first side of said tubular member and separated from said tubular member in substantially a first lateral direction from said tubular member, said first lateral direction being orthogonal to said fixed reference orientation (such as to the right of said tubular member from said individual's perspective) with a first terminal length of said filament and a second needle length of said filament extending from said first filament bight beyond and perpendicular to said tubular member in a second lateral direction orthogonal to said fixed reference orientation and substantially opposite said first lateral direction (such as behind said tubular member and toward the left thereof from said individual's perspective), said needle length and said terminal length lying substantially in a single second plane parallel with said first plane of said fixed reference orientation, said terminal segment lying closer to said first tube end than said needle segment and being separated from said needle segment by approximately one inch; grasping a loop segment point a loop segment of said needle segment, said loop segment point lying substantially on said first side of and in said second lateral direction from said tubular member and twisting said loop segment approximately 180° (such as in a clockwise direction from said individual's perspective) so as to form a second filament bight which second filament bight delineates a first length of said needle segment from a second length of said needle segment, said first length of said needle segment being closer to said first filament bight than said second length of said needle segment, said twist being made whereby said second length of said needle segment intersects said first length of said needle segment such that, if such intersection were immediately adjacent to and contacting said tubular member on said first side of said tubular member, said first length of said needle segment would contact said tubular member and separate said second length of said needle segment from said tubular member; moving said second filament bight substantially in said first lateral direction and across a second side of said tubular member, said second side being opposite said first side, so as to partially encircle said tubular member; moving said second filament light in a third direction from said second side toward said first side of said tubular member and without further substantially twisting said loop segment, passing said second filament bight through a space the perimeter of which space is jointly defined by said first filament bight and said tubular member; moving said second filament light in a fourth direction, substantially opposite from said third direction, from said first side of said tubular member toward said second side of said tubular member, passing said second filament bight around a section of said first filament bight closest said first tube end, and over said first tube end; and passing said needle segment of said filament through said tubular member moving from said second tube end to said first tube end.

Claim 17

A method for forming a capstan knot comprising the steps of: selecting a tubular member and a filament, said tubular member having a first and a second tube end; with the long axis of said tubular member situated in a fixed reference orientation in a first plane (such as a vertical orientation relative to an individual forming said knot), doubling a length of said filament adjacent to said tubular member and on a first side of said tubular member (such as a side of said tubular member opposite from said individual) such that a first filament bight is formed at a first bight point situated on said first side of said tubular member and separated from said tubular member in substantially a first lateral direction from said tubular member, said first lateral direction being orthogonal to said fixed reference orientation (such as to the right of said tubular member from said individual's perspective) with a first terminal length of said filament and a second needle length of said filament extending from said first filament bight beyond and perpendicular to said tubular member in a second lateral direction orthogonal to said fixed reference orientation and substantially opposite said first lateral direction (such as behind said tubular member and toward the left thereof from said individual's perspective), said needle length and said terminal length lying substantially in a single second plane parallel with said first plane of said fixed reference orientation, said terminal segment lying closer to said first tube end than said needle segment and being separated from said needle segment by approximately one inch; grasping a loop segment point a loop segment of said needle segment, said loop segment point lying substantially on said first side of and in said second lateral direction from said tubular member and twisting said loop segment approximately 180° (such as in a clockwise direction from said individual's perspective) so as to form a second filament bight which second filament bight delineates a first length of said needle segment from a second length of said needle segment, said first length of said needle segment being closer to said first filament bight than said second length of said needle segment, said twist being made whereby said second length of said needle segment intersects said first length of said needle segment such that, if such intersection were immediately adjacent to and contacting said tubular member on said first side of said tubular member, said first length of said needle segment would contact said tubular member and separate said second length of said needle segment from said tubular member; moving said second filament bight substantially in said first lateral direction and across a second side of said tubular member, said second side being opposite said first side, so as to partially encircle said tubular member; moving said second filament light in a third direction from said second side toward said first side of said tubular member and without further substantially twisting said loop segment, passing said second filament bight through a space the perimeter of which space is jointly defined by said first filament bight and said tubular member; moving said second filament light in a fourth direction, substantially opposite from said third direction, from said first side of said tubular member toward said second side of said tubular member, passing said second filament bight around a section of said first filament bight closest said first tube end, and over said first tube end; and passing said needle segment of said filament through said tubular member moving from said second tube end to said first tube end.