Patent ID: 9700301
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: A61B

Claim:
1. A needle for use in suturing comprising: a) an arcuate body with a pointed end and a second end, the arcuate body defining a central arcuate axis along the centerline of the arcuate body, the central arcuate axis in turn defining at least in part a circular plane, the arcuate body having an upper arcuate face and a lower arcuate face, the upper arcuate face and lower arcuate face meeting at the circular plane; b) a gap defined between the pointed end and the second end; c) a first indentation defined in the needle located along the upper arcuate face of the arcuate body toward the pointed end of the arcuate body, the first indentation being defined by (i) a first vertical surface that extends from an upper portion of the upper arcuate face downwardly at a first location along the central arcuate axis, (ii) a first flat surface that extends parallel to the central arcuate axis along a direction away from the first vertical surface such that the needle has a “D” shaped cross section where the first flat surface is present, the first flat surface of the first indentation extending laterally across the needle from a radially inner region of the needle to a radially outer region of the needle, and (iii) a first inclined surface that adjoins the first flat surface at a first end of the first inclined surface, the first inclined surface extending upwardly from the first flat surface at an angle and intersecting the upper arcuate face of the arcuate body, the first inclined surface terminating at a second location along the central arcuate axis that is displaced from the first location along the central arcuate axis; and d) a second indentation defined in the needle located along the upper arcuate face of the arcuate body toward the second end of the arcuate body, the second indentation being defined by (i) a second vertical surface that extends from an upper portion of the upper arcuate face downwardly at a third location along the central arcuate axis, (ii) a second flat surface that extends parallel to the central arcuate axis along a direction away from the second vertical surface such that the needle has a “D” shaped cross section where the second flat surface is present, the second flat surface of the second indentation extending laterally across the needle from a radially inner region of the needle to a radially outer region of the needle, and (iii) a second inclined surface that adjoins the second flat surface at a first end of the second inclined surface, the second inclined surface extending upwardly from the second flat surface at an angle and intersecting the upper arcuate face of the arcuate body, the second inclined surface terminating at a fourth location along the central arcuate axis that is displaced from the third location along the central arcuate axis.