US3840017A - Surgical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

A surgical, thread holder and stitching device is provided which employs a hollow needle through which a spool or reel of surgical thread is fed. The hollow needle may have beveled ends for cutting the thread and a recess may be provided in the holder to receive a syringe to pass a medicant through the hollow needle. The device is further characterized by including a surgical knife mounted on the needle protector of the device.

Description

9 1 nited States Patent 11 1 11 1 ,840,017 Violante 1 1 Oct. 8, 1974 1 SURGICAL INSTRUMENT 3,013,559 12/1961 Thomas 128/340 [7 Inventor: Alfonso n y Violante, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS lnsurgemessur N 1216,4631 772,134 8/1934 France 128/340 F1001 MeXICO Y MeXICO 259,450 4 1912 Germany 128/340 [22] Filed: Aug. 23, 1972 Primary ExaminerDalton L. Truluck [21] Appl' 283036 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cameron, Kerkam, Sutton,

- Stowell & Stowell [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Oct: xexico 131123 57 CT 133270 Fe mm A surgical, thread holder and stltching device 15 pro- 52 us. (:1. 128/340 Vided which employs a hollow needle thmugh which a 51 1111. Cl .i A6lb 17/06 S11300101 reel of Surgical thread is feThe hollow 5 Field of Search 12 334 R 339 340 2 5 C118 may have beveled ends for cutting the thread and 128/232 a recess may be provided in the holder to receive a sytinge to pass a medicant through the hollow needle. [56] References Cited The device is further characterized by including a surgical knife mounted on the needle protector of the de- UNITED STATES PATENTS Vice. 373,372 ll/l887 King 128/340 2,662,524 12/1953 Hudgins 128/215 5 Claims, 17 Drawing Figures PATENTED 81974 sum 1 or 4 FIG. 2

FIG. I

FIG. 3 F|G.4 FIG.5

PATENIEUUET 81974 SHEET 2 OF 4 FIG.

THE INVENTION The present invention is generallydirected to a surgical device and in particular to a surgical thread holder and stitching device and the device may include means for cutting the thread, medicating the wound site and preparing the site for surgical suturing.

In general at the present, substantial time is required to affect suturing of wounds or incisions since with traditional procedures as many as three or four independent motions are required of the surgeon for the preparation of suturing needles.

' It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a device, the use of which reduces the motions or periods of time involved in surgical suturing as the needle carrier is also the carrier and dispenser of extended lengths of suture material whether it be thread, catgut, silk, nylon, wire and the like.

' It is a further object to provide such a device which may also be employed in site preparation such as removal of hair from about the wound, trimming wound edges and anaesthetizing and/or medicating and anaesthetizing the area to be sutured.

In general the present invention is accomplished by a surgical stitching instrument comprising a tubular body, means mounting a thread spool at one end thereof, means mounting a hollow surgical needle at the other end thereof, a recess shaped for insertion of the ball of an operators thumb in the instrument adjacent the needle mounting means, an opening in the instrument for the passage of thread from a spool mounted therein into the recess and an opening in the instrument for the passage of thread from the recess into the lumen of a hollow needle mounted thereon.

The invention will be more particularly described in reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a surgical instrument constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the structures shown in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 illustrate various forms of hollow needles employable with the device illustrated in FIGS. 1- and 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a modified form of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the instruments shown in FIG. 6;

FIGS. 8a, 8b, and c comprise shavings of various forms of hollow needles which may be employed with the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of another form of a surgical instrument constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a plan view of the instruments shown in FIG. 8;

FIG. 11 is a view of a typical collapsible wall syringe usable with the instrument shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;

FIG. 12 is a side elevational view of still another form of the surgical tool of the invention;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the device shown in FIG. 12 including a needle protector associated with a surgical scaple;

FIG. 14 is a section substntially on line 14-14 of FIG. 13; and

FIG. 15 is a section substantially on line 15-15 of FIG. 13.

Referring to the drawings and particularly to FIGS.

1 and 2, 10 generally designates a surgical instrument comprising a body portion 12 which has means at end 14 for rotatably mounting a reel or spool 16 and means at end 18 for reception of a hollow surgical needle 20.

The body portion 12 is provided with an internal bore 22 which opens at 24, at end 14, and at 26 adjacent a recess 28 adjacent end 18.

The spool or reel 16 is rotatably mounted on an axle or pivot pin 30 removably receivable in suitable bores at end 14. The reel 16 receives the selected suture material 32 which is threaded through the bore 22 in the body 12.

The hollow suture needle 20 is mounted in a nose piece 34 such that a portion 36 of the needle projects forwardly of the instrument and a portion 38 projects inwardly of the instrument to terminate in the recess 28 whereby the suture thread or suture material 32 may be fed through the hollow needle to project outwardly therefrom as illustratedin the drawings; The amount of thread to be employed in forming a suture is conveniently expelled from the projecting end of the hollow needle 20 by the surgeons thumb 40, FIG. 2, working in the recess 28 in a push-lift-retract motion.

It will be particularly noted that the surgical needle 20 has abeveled and sharpened tip 42 which assists in penetration of the skin, muscle and other tissue and at the same time presents a sharpened edge which the surgeon can employ in cutting of the suture material. The unit may also include a nipple 44 provided with a bore 45 whereby the needle and holder may be placed at right angles to the body 10 as shown in broken lines in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate other hollow needle types which might be received on the end of the surgical instrument in place of the straight needle 20 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 with the needles being designate 20' and 20".

Referring particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7, a modified form of the present invention is shown with the surgical instrument being designated and comprising a body portion 52 provided with a large bore 54 at one end 56. The bore 54 is capped by a cap element 58 which may have external threads which mate with internal threads adjacent end 56 of bore 54 or the cap 58 may be retained by frictional engagement.

The large bore 54 receives a spool 60 of suture material with the loose end being payed out through a small bore 62 which extends to the forward end 64 of the instrument 50. The end 64 receives a hollow needle 66 which is frictionally inserted therein with its internal end forming a continuation of the bore 62.

In this form of the invention, as in the form shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the forward end of the surgical instrument is provided with a thumb receivable recess 68 which extends into the bore 62 whereby the surgeons thumb may be employed to feed suture material through the hollow needle 66. As previously described, the hollow needle 66 may be shaped as illustrated or have various curvatures as shown at 66, 66 and 66" in FIGS. 8a, b and 0.-

Referring now to FIGS. 9 and 10, there is shown a surgical instrument very similar in form and function to the surgical instrument 10, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawing. The surgical instrument includes a reel 102 which carries the suture material which is fed to the bore 104 of the body of the instrument which bore feeds into an enlarged recess 106 adjacent the forward end of the instrument 106. The recess performs the function of recess 28 of the FIGS. 1 and 2 form of the invention and in addition is shaped to receive a flexible wall syringe 108 with the pointed end 110 being insertable in the forward portion 112 of the bore 104 such that when the syringe 108 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 110 the rearward beveled and sharpened end 114 of the hollow surgical needle 116 will pierce the sealed tip 110 whereby the surgeon may express medicament from the syringe 8 through the hollow needle at the surgical site with such insertion being carried out with or without the suture or surgical thread 116 being within the hollow needle.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 through 15, a further form of the present invention is shown with the surgical instrument being similar in form to that shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and being generally designated 150. The spool or bobbin 152, retained in the enlarged bore 154 of the body 157 of the device, feeds suture material 160 through a bore 162 and the lumen of a hollow surgical needle 164. The assembly also includes an enlarged recess 166 which receives the surgeons thumb for feeding the suture material through the hollow needle 164 and in addition the recess 166 is adapted to receive a syringe 108 similar in nature to that described in reference to FIG. 11. The extended sealed end 110 of the syringe 108 is pierced by the sharpened beveled rearward end of the hollow surgical needle 164 as previously discussed in reference to the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 9, and 11. This form of the invention also includes a needle protecting sheath 170 having a tapered bore 172 adapted to slip over the needle 164 and the tip 174 of the surgical instrument. The needle protector 170 is provided with a removable scaple or blade 176 having a cutting edge 178 as more clearly shown in FIGS. 13, 14 and 15.

It will be recognized that the needle protector and surgical points illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13 and 14 may also be employed with the forms of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 6 and 7 and 9 and 10.

From the foregoing detailed description of several forms of my invention, it will be seen that all of the aims and objects herein before set forth and others are fully accomplished.

I claim:

1. A surgical stitching instrument comprising a tubular body; a thread spool mounted at one end of the tubular body; a hollow surgical needle mounted at the other end of the tubular body; an arcuate recess of a size and shape for the reception of the ball of an operators thumb positioned in the tubular body adjacent the hollow surgical needle; a first passage way for the passage of thread from said spool into the arcuate recess; a second passage way at the opposite end of the arcuate recess for the passage of thread, bridging said recess, into the lumen of the hollow needle mounted on the tubular body; whereby the operator's thumb has positive thread feeding and thread immobilizing contact with the thread in the zone of the arcuate recess.

2. A surgical stitching instrument as defined in claim 1 including an opening in the tubular body adjacent the second passage way communicating with lumen of the hollow needle mounted thereon and adapted to receive the outlet of a medicament syringe.

3. A surgical stitching instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein the opening in the tubular body communicating with the lumen of the hollow needle is adjacent the arcuate recess. 7

4. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1 including a needle protecting cap having a surgical blade on the exterior thereof.

5. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the hollow surgical needle mounting at the other end of the tubular body includes a receptor positioned to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body. l

Claims (5)

1. A surgical stitching instrument comprising a tubular body; a thread spool mounted at one end of the tubular body; a hollow surgical needle mounted at the other end of the tubular body; an arcuate recess of a size and shape for the reception of the ball of an operator''s thumb positioned in the tubular body adjacent the hollow surgical needle; a first passage way for the passage of thread from said spool into the arcuate recess; a second passage way at the opposite end of the arcuate recess for the passage of thread, bridging said recess, into the lumen of the hollow needle mounted on the tubular body; whereby the operator''s thumb has positive thread feeding and thread immobilizing contact with the thread in the zone of the arcuate recess.

2. A surgical stitching instrument as defined in claim 1 including an opening in the tubular body adjacent the second passage way communicating with lumen of the hollow needle mounted thereon and adapted to receive the outlet of a medicament syringe.

3. A surgical stitching instrument as defined in claim 2 wherein the opening in the tubular body communicating with the lumen of the hollow needle is adjacent the arcuate recess.

4. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1 including a needle protecting cap having a surgical blade on the exterior thereof.

5. A surgical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein the hollow surgical needle mounting at the other end of the tubular body includes a receptor positioned 90* to the longitudinal axis of the tubular body.

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