Suture retaining clip

Abstract: A suture holding clip (100) including legs (110, 120) each having a suture contacting surface. The legs can be closed to define an interface for holding a suture in a serpentine configuration (112, 114, 122, 124). In another embodiment (Figs. 11, 12) the suture holding clip is initially in a spider leg configuration with a spine and legs projecting from the spine and alternately angled to one or the other of two directions so as to define therebetween a lengthwise extending passage for the reception therethrough of a suture.

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fastening device for use in surgical procedures to secure a suture. 2. Background of the Art Sutures are commonly used to close incisions and to reunite damaged tissue. Typically, the sutures are passed through the tissue and the free ends of the sutures are tied together. In many instances, the suturing site is exposed to an extent sufficient to permit the surgeon to quickly tie the suture by hand. However, in some procedures such as arthroscopic, laparoscopic or endoscopic surgery, the suturing site is inaccessible by hand. As a result, the surgeon is usually required to tie the suture ends into a knot at a location remote from the suture site, and then manipulate suitably configured instruments for sliding the knot to the site. For example, arthroscopic surgical procedures usually employ a small diameter cannula that extends through a small incision made in a joint. The sutures extend from the suturing site through the cannula. The exposed free ends of the sutures are tied by the surgeon and the knot is slid through the cannula to the suturing site. Likewise, laparoscopic or endoscopic surgery also relies on small diameter cannulas inserted through small incisions in body tissue to gain access to the interior of the body. The operating instruments have relatively long and narrow portions which are inserted through a cannula to perform the operation in the interior of the body. The instrumentation for such procedures is actuated from outside the body. It can readily be understood that the dexterity required to free suture ends under such conditions not only places a burden upon the operating personnel, but also poses a greater risk to the patient. Various devices are known which attempt to deal with the aforementioned problem. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,078,731 to Hayhurst discloses a suture clip for engaging one or more suture thread lines. The Hayhurst suture clip, in an open position, is slidable along the suture(s). When positioned at the suturing site, the Hayhurst clip may then be closed to fix the position of the clip, thereby securing the suture(s). U.S. Patent No. 4,291,698 to Fuchs et al. discloses a button type suture retainer including a disk having a slot which extends to a passage for guiding a suture thread therethrough within the circumference of the disk. The passage is sealed by a clamping device for clamping a thread in the passage. The clamping device includes a disk segment movable parallel with the disk over the slot and passage to a latched position where its inner marginal part is past the passage, thereby bending the thread and holding it by friction and compression. Other suture fixation devices are disclosed in U.S. Patent Nos. 3,753,438; 3,857,396; 3,910,281; 3,976,079; 4,387,489; 4,969,892; and 4,750,492 on which the preamble of claim 1 is based. While the aforementioned devices perform the function of suture retention, there is yet need for an improved suture retainer clip which is simple in construction, easy to apply, and usable in laparoscopic or endoscopic or arthroscopic applications as well as in conventional surgical procedures. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A suture holding clip is provided, in accordance with the present invention, having the technical features recited in claim 1, below. Also disclosed herein is a method for repairing body tissue using the aforementioned suture holding clips. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figs. 1-14 are cancelled. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a push button embodiment of the present invention; Figs. 16 and 17 are sectional views illustrating, respectively, a suture in the pre-actuated push button clip and a suture held in serpentine fashion in the actuated push button clip; Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the push actuated suture holding member. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS(S) The suture clip body portion can be fabricated as a single piece from any biocompatible material suitable for use in surgical applications such as metals and polymers, including bioabsorbable materials such as homopolymers and copolymers of glycolide, lactide, caprolactone, 1,4-dioxanone, trimethylene carbonate, and blends thereof. The clips may be applied by any suitable applier. Referring to Figs. 15, 16, 17 and 18, a push-button suture holding clip 500 is shown which comprises a body portion 510 having one or more apertures 511 (two in the illustrated embodiment) for receiving a suture therethrough. A push actuated suture holding member 520 is slidably disposed through body 510 and has legs 522, 523, 524 and 525 which are resiliently biased to an outwardly curled configuration. Initially, the suture holding clip is in the configuration shown in Fig. 16 wherein the legs 522, 523, 524 and 525 are substantially completely positioned within chamber 512 of the body 510. A passage for the reception of a suture is defined through suture holding clip 500 by aperture(s) 511 in the body and passageway 526 defined by spaced apart legs 522, 523 and 524, 525 in the suture holding member. A suture 10 may be threaded therethrough. To secure the suture in serpentine fashion the top surface 521 is pushed or pressed down as shown in Fig. 17. The suture thereby conforms to a serpentine configuration and the ends of legs 522, 523, 524 and 525 are pushed outside of chamber 512 whereupon they resiliently curl to prevent retraction of the suture holding member 500. The suture 10 thus remains securely held. The clip may be held, and top surface 521 pushed, by any suitable means. In use, a suture is threaded through aperture 511, and clip 500 is slid down along the suture to the desired location at which point surface 521 is pressed to fixedly secure the suture 10. Clip 500 can therefore serve the function of a knot. When the suture holding clips disclosed herein are used instead of a knot, this greatly facilitates a surgical suturing procedure wherein difficult to knot sutures (e.g., monofilament sutures) are employed. The claims which follow identify embodiments of the invention additional to those described in detail above.

Claims: A suture holding clip (500) which comprises: a) a body portion (510) having at least one aperture (511) for receiving a suture and a chamber (512) intersecting with said aperture; b) a member (520) being slidably disposed within said chamber and movable in a direction transverse to said suture receiving aperture from a first position to a second position, the clip being characterised in that: the member (520) has a plurality of legs (522-5) resiliently biased to a spread-apart configuration, said legs being located completely within said chamber in said first position and extending at least partially outside said chamber in a spread apart configuration in said second position. The suture holding clip of claim 1 wherein said legs are of metal and fabricated as a single piece. The suture holding clip of claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of legs comprises two opposed spaced pairs of legs (522-5). The suture holding clip of claim 3 wherein the spaces (526) between the legs of each pair define a passageway (526) crossing the chamber and contiguous with the suture-receiving aperture(s) (511) when the slidable member is in its first position. The suture holding clip of any one of the preceding claims wherein each of said legs has a proximal end and a distal end and said slidable member (520) includes a proximal base portion (521) to which the proximal ends of said legs are integrally connected. The suture holding clip of any one of the preceding claims wherein said base portion includes a top surface (521) which, when pushed, takes the member from its first position to its second position. The suture holding clip of any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one aperture (511) is constituted by two separate apertures arranged parallel to each other and both contiguous with said chamber.

Inventors: BOLANOS HENRY, GREEN DAVID R, KOLESA MICHAEL S, SIENKIEWICZ HENRY R, TOSO KENNETH E, TOVEY H JONATHAN, BOLANOS, HENRY, GREEN, DAVID R., KOLESA, MICHAEL S., SIENKIEWICZ, HENRY R., TOSO, KENNETH E., TOVEY, H. JONATHAN
Applicants: UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORP, UNITED STATES SURGICAL CORPORATION
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A61B17
IPC codes: A61B17