Patent Publication Number: US-2012029531-A1

Title: Suture cut-off structure for subcutaneous stitching operation

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending patent application Ser. No. 11/970,536, owned by the same applicant. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to a suture cut-off structure for surgical operations, and more particularly to a suture cut-off structure for subcutaneous stitching operations that efficiently cuts off a surgical suture, comfortably and stably depresses human skin, and makes no undesired damage to human skin. 
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART 
     When a surgeon performs a stitching closure operation, the surgeon uses one hand to hold a pair of forceps for grasping skin around a wound and uses another hand to operate a needle holder in order to perform closure of wound in a stitch-by-stitch manner with the aid of the needle holder. However, when the surgeon carries out a stitching operation, each stitch must be ended with knotting, following by suture severing with a pair of scissors, and only after that, the following stitches can be subsequently made. During the stitching process, it is always troublesome that the surgeon must empty one hand to hold and operate the scissors for cutting of the suture after each stitching is made, and then the following stitch can be subsequently carried out. Alternately, an assistant may be available for helping cutting off the suture. However, it is equally troublesome for both the surgeon and the assistant operating the scissors to cut off the suture and this takes labor and is uneconomic. 
     In addition, since the scissors have sharp tips that are not provided with protection means, it is quite likely that the patient&#39;s skin is unexpectedly hurt in using the scissors to cut off the suture. Further, in the performance of subcutaneous stitching operation, besides the troubles of frequently changing forceps and scissors, a surgeon also needs to depress down the skin around the wound first and then the suture located under the skin can be tied and pulled out to allow a portion above the tying location to be cut off with the scissors. Holding down the skin around the wound often causes discomfort of the patient and may accidently hurt the skin. 
     In view of the above discussed shortcomings, the present invention aims to provide a solution to overcome such problems. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An objective of the present invention is to provide a suture cut-off structure for subcutaneous stitching operation that can be efficiently and operate and does not cause undesired damage to patents&#39; skin. 
     To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides a suture cut-off structure for subcutaneous stitching operation, which comprises a forceps and a cutter blade arranged at one end of the forceps. The forceps has an end forming a stalk-like cutter holder in which a slit is formed. The cutter blade forms a through hole, which comprises a relatively-wide first retention section and a relatively-narrow second retention section. The first retention section is fit over a body of the stalk-like cutter holder, while the second retention section is fit into the slit of the stalk-like cutter holder so as to securely retain the cutter blade on the stalk-like cutter holder, thereby coupling the cutter blade and the stalk-like cutter holder together. The cutter blade has an end forming two rims, which correspond to each other and have substantially the same length. Each of the rims has a contour forming a curve section. The rims define a cutting trough therebetween. A cutting edge is formed in the cutting trough. The suture is receivable into the cutting trough to allow the suture to be cut off through a forward movement of the cutting edge, and with the rims being positionable on and depressing down patient&#39;s skin, cutting of the suture and at the same time depressing down the patient&#39;s skin can be simultaneously done with a single hand. The cutting edge is located inside the cutting trough of the rims and is thus isolated so that undesirably hurting the patient&#39;s skin can be avoided. With the rims having the same length and showing the curve section, comfortably and stably holding down the patient&#39;s skin can be done without causing undesired hurting, thereby allowing efficiently cutting of suture in a subcutaneous stitching operation. 
     The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts. 
     Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view, in an exploded form, of a portion of forceps and a cutter blade according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view showing the forceps and the cutter blade according to the present invention coupled to each other. 
         FIGS. 5-8  are schematic views demonstrating a subcutaneous stitching operation according to the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  demonstrates cutting off suture according to the present invention applied to a subcutaneous stitching operation. 
         FIG. 10  is a side elevational view illustrating cutting off suture as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 11  is a schematic view illustrating a knot tied on a suture is located under the patient&#39;s skin after the suture is cut off in a subcutaneous stitching operation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3 , and  4 , a preferred embodiment according to the present invention is shown, which comprises a forceps  10  and a cutter blade  20  arranged at one end of the forceps  10 , whereby in an attempt to cut off a suture in performing a stitching operation, the forceps  10  and the cutter blade  20  can be switchably used in order to efficiently cut off the suture without causing undesired damage to the patient&#39;s skin. The present invention finds a particular application to subcutaneous stitching operations. 
     The forceps  10  has an end forming a stalk-like cutter holder  11  in which a slit  111  is formed. The forceps  10  also forms an inclined step  12  below the stalk-like cutter holder  11 . 
     The cutter blade  20  forms a through hole  21 , and the through hole  21  comprise a first retention section  211  that is relatively wide and a second retention section  212  that is relatively narrow. The first retention section  211  is fit over a body of the stalk-like cutter holder  11 , while the second retention section  212  is fit into the slit  111  of the stalk-like cutter holder  11 , so as to securely retain the cutter blade  20  on the stalk-like cutter holder  11 , thereby coupling the cutter blade  20  and the stalk-like cutter holder  11  together. The cutter blade  20  forms a support section  22  corresponding to the step  12  of the forceps  10 , whereby with the interaction between the step  12  and the support section  22 , the cutter blade  20  is securely held on the stalk-like cutter holder  11 . The cutter blade  20  has an end forming two rims  23 , which correspond to each other and have substantially the same length L. Each of the rims  23  has a contour forming a curve section  24 . The rims  23  define a cutting trough  25  therebetween, and a cutting edge  26  is formed in the cutting trough. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 , and  8 , a subcutaneous stitching operation is demonstrated.  FIG. 10  illustrates a knot is tied on a suture  90  and the knot  91  of the suture  90  is located under the skin of the patient. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9 ,  10 , and  11 , the present invention allows a surgeon to directly switch the forceps  10  and the cutter blade  20  for operation needs and is also helpful depressing and holding down the patient&#39;s skin around the wound with the rims  23  of he cutter blade  20  after the suture  90  used in the subcutaneous stitching operation has been knotted in order to allow the knot  91  of the suture  90  that is located under the skin to be pulled out of the skin, and then through pushing forwards the cutter blade  20 , the knotted the suture  90  can be received into the cutting trough  25  and further pushing forwards would cause the cutting edge  21  to cut off an extra portion of the suture  90  that is located above the knot  91 . As such, when a surgeon is performing a subcutaneous stitching operation, it does not need to use an independent pair of scissors with seeking for other people&#39;s help to cut off the suture  90 . 
     It is noted here that since the rims  23  of the cutter blade  20  can be placed on and depress down the patient&#39;s skin, a surgeon is allowed to cut off the suture and at the same time depress down the patient&#39;s skin, both being done with a single hand. Further, since the cutting edge  26  is located inside the cutting trough  25  that is defined between the rims  23  and is thus isolated, it can be kept from undesirably hurting the patient&#39;s skin. Further, since the two rims  23  are of the same length and both show a curved arrangement with the curve section  24 , the rims  23  can comfortably and stably hold down the patient&#39;s skin without causing undesired hurting, making the present invention particularly suitable for subcutaneous stitching operations. 
     It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above. 
     While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.