Patent ID: 9700302
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 having a vertical projection that defines at least in part a vertical cylindrical surface that extends above and below the central arcuate axis, the arcuate body having a radially inwardly facing arcuate face and a radially outwardly facing arcuate face, the radially inwardly facing arcuate face and the radially outwardly facing arcuate face meeting at the cylindrical surface; b) a gap defined between the pointed end and the second end; c) a first indentation defined in the needle along one of the radially inwardly facing arcuate face and the radially outwardly facing arcuate face, the first indentation being disposed toward the pointed end of the arcuate body, wherein the radially inwardly facing arcuate face and a radially outwardly facing arcuate face are substantially continuous between the pointed end and the first indentation, the first indentation being defined by (i) a first vertical surface disposed at a first location along the central arcuate axis that adjoins (ii) a first planar surface that extends along the central arcuate axis away from the first vertical surface such that the needle has a vertical “D” shaped cross section where the first planar surface is present, the first planar surface of the first indentation extending vertically from a location above the central arcuate axis to a location below the central arcuate axis, and (iii) a first inclined surface that adjoins the first planar surface at a first end of the first inclined surface, the first inclined surface extending radially away from the first planar surface along the central arcuate axis at an angle and 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 along one of the radially inwardly facing arcuate face and the radially outwardly facing arcuate face, the second indentation being disposed toward the second end of the arcuate body, the second indentation being defined by (i) a second vertical surface disposed at a third location along the central arcuate axis that adjoins (ii) a second planar surface that extends along the central arcuate axis away from the second vertical surface such that the needle has a vertical “D” shaped cross section where the second planar surface is present, the second planar surface of the second indentation extending vertically from a location above the central arcuate axis to a location below the central arcuate axis, and (iii) a second inclined surface that adjoins the second planar surface at a first end of the second inclined surface, the second inclined surface extending radially away from the second planar surface along the central arcuate axis at an angle and terminating at a fourth location along the central arcuate axis that is displaced from the third location along the central arcuate axis, wherein the first indentation and second indentation are spaced apart along the central arcuate axis by about 180 degrees, and further wherein the surface of the arcuate body between the first indentation and second indentation is substantially continuous.