Grindless surgical needle manufacture

A method for manufacturing a surgical needle devoid of a grinding process includes the steps of swaging a needle blank to define a substantially tapered or conical needle end, pressing the tapered needle to form a plurality of intersecting surfaces and forming cutting edges along the lines of intersection of the intersecting sides. The needle may be subjected to an etching process (e.g., an acid bath) to sharpen the cutting edges and/or provide a matte finish on the needle. The needle produced by the novel process is extremely sharp and durable, and exhibits an enhanced retention of sharpness relative to conventional ground needles over periods of prolonged use.

Surgical needle holder

The present invention relates to a holder for a surgical needle provided with a safety release mechanism. The safety release mechanism is designed so that when the device is not in use either by way of a deliberate action on the part of the operator, or where for example the device is accidentally dropped, the needle automatically retracts within the holder to prevent injury to the operator or other persons.

System with a surgical needle and a handle

In a system with a surgical needle and a handle, the surgical needle has in its proximal end-section, lying opposite the needle tip, a holding section (14), which is set up for insertion into the handle. The handle has a channel (32), set up for holding the holding section (14) of the surgical needle, and a locking device (50 70) with a locking element (50) which is displaceable in longitudinal direction of the channel (32) from a locking position, in which the holding section (14) is fixed to the handle, into a release position, in which the holding section (14) can be pulled out from the channel (32).

Barbed suture in combination with surgical needle

A barbed suture for connecting tissue, and a combination surgical needle with a barbed suture. The suture includes an elongated body and a plurality of barbs projecting from the body. Each barb causes the suture to resist movement in an opposite direction from which the barb faces. The disposition of the barbs on the body may be staggered, twist cut multiple spiral, overlapping, or random. Also, the configuration of the barbs may be a certain spirality angle .alpha., barb cut angle .THETA., barb cut depth, barb cut length, barb cut distance, corrugated barb underside, arcuate barb base, or varying barb size.