Patent ID: 8883245

Claim:
A method for coating surgical needles, comprising: applying a silicone coating to a curved surgical needle having a longitudinal central axis and a distal tip section and a distal tip, wherein the needle is mounted to a carrier, by dipping the surgical needle into a silicone coating solution by moving the needle into a silicone coating solution bath, wherein the needle is mounted to the carrier such that the tip of the needle is pointing up; moving the needle out of the coating bath; directing a stream consisting essentially of a gas to the needle along a path that is in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal central axis of the distal tip section of the needle, said stream directed distally toward the distal tip, to remove excess coating solution from the needle, and moving at least some of the coating to the tip section while retaining sufficient silicone coating solution on the tip; and, curing the silicone coating, wherein said needle has improved penetration performance.