US-12622691-B2 - Crimping device and method

Abstract

A crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle includes a lower block and an upper block that are pressed towards each other to secure the suture to the needle. The lower block has a first groove to accommodate the suture and a second groove to accommodate the needle. The grooves are substantially perpendicularly to each other. The lower block has a lower crimping pin in a lower crimping pin channel at an intercept of the first and second groove. The upper block has an upper crimping pin arranged in an upper crimping pin channel at the intercept of the grooves. The lower and upper crimping pins are configured to move in the lower and upper crimping pin channels, respectively, towards the groove intercept to secure the suture to the needle. A method of securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle is also disclosed.

Inventors

• Rickard Norenstam

Assignees

• SUTURION AB

Dates

Publication Date

20260512

Application Date

20240119

Claims (18)

1. 1 . A crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle, the crimping device comprising: a lower block and an upper block that can be pressed towards each other to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle, the lower block comprising: a first groove configured to accommodate the suture; a second groove configured to accommodate the double-pointed medical suture needle, the first and second grooves arranged substantially perpendicularly to each other, wherein the lower block comprises a lower crimping pin arranged in a lower crimping pin channel at an intercept of the first groove and the second groove; wherein the upper block comprises an upper crimping pin arranged in an upper crimping pin channel at the intercept of the first groove and the second groove; wherein the lower crimping pin and the upper crimping pin are configured to be moved in the lower crimping pin channel and the upper crimping pin channel, respectively, towards the intercept of the first groove and second groove to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle; wherein the upper block comprises at least one needle holder element facing the lower block, adapted to lock the double-pointed medical suture needle in a locked position when the lower block and the upper block are pressed towards each other.
2. 2 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the lower and upper crimping pin each have a pointed end towards the intercept of the first groove and second groove, wherein the pointed end causes a deformation of the double-pointed medical suture needle to bond the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle when the lower and upper crimping pins are moved to the intercept of the first groove and second groove.
3. 3 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the lower block and the upper block are adapted to hold the double-pointed medical suture needle in a locked position when the lower block and the upper block are pressed towards each other.
4. 4 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the second groove in the lower block has cross-section having a tapered shape being progressively smaller with reference from a side facing the upper block.
5. 5 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one needle holder element has a substantially flat side facing the lower block.
6. 6 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one needle holder element is an elongate element adapted to be introduced into the second groove in the lower block when the lower block and the upper block are pressed towards each other.
7. 7 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one needle holder element comprises at least two needle holder elements, wherein one needle holder element is disposed on each side of the upper crimping pin.
8. 8 . The crimping device according to claim 1 , further comprising a secondary lower block arranged on an exterior side of the lower block relative to an interior side comprising the first and second grooves, wherein the lower crimping pin is fixed to the secondary lower block.
9. 9 . The crimping device according to claim 8 , further comprising a lower spring arranged between the lower block and the secondary lower block.
10. 10 . The crimping device according to claim 8 , wherein the lower crimping pin causes a deformation of the double-pointed medical suture needle when the lower block and the secondary lower block are pressed together.
11. 11 . The crimping device according to claim 8 , wherein the lower crimping pin is configurable to a fixed position relative to the secondary lower block.
12. 12 . The crimping device according to claim 8 , wherein the lower crimping pin comprises first threads engaging with corresponding second threads of the secondary lower block, or wherein the lower crimping pin comprises a lower set screw having first threads engaging with corresponding second threads of the secondary lower block.
13. 13 . A method of securing at least one suture to at least one double-pointed medical suture needle, comprising the steps of: threading the double-pointed medical suture needle by inserting the suture through a through-hole of the double-pointed medical suture needle; providing a crimping device having a lower block and an upper block, wherein the lower block comprises a lower crimping pin arranged in a lower crimping pin channel at an intercept of a first groove and a second groove and the upper block comprises an upper crimping pin arranged in an upper crimping pin channel at an intercept of the first groove and the second groove; placing the double-pointed medical suture needle in the second groove and the suture in the first groove; crimping the double-pointed medical suture needle by moving the lower block and the upper block together and pushing the lower crimping pin and the upper crimping pin against and deforming the double-pointed medical suture needle to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle; and pressing the lower block and the upper block against each other such that a lower spring between the lower block and a secondary lower block, to which the lower crimping pin or a lower set screw of the lower crimping pin is fixed, is compressed and the lower crimping pin protrudes from the lower block, and such that an upper spring between the upper block and a secondary upper block, to which the upper crimping pin or an upper set screw of the upper crimping pin is fixed, is compressed and the upper crimping pin protrudes from the upper block.
14. 14 . A crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle, the crimping device comprising: a lower block and an upper block that can be pressed towards each other to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle, the lower block comprising: a first groove configured to accommodate the suture; a second groove configured to accommodate the double-pointed medical suture needle, the first and second grooves arranged substantially perpendicularly to each other, wherein the lower block comprises a lower crimping pin arranged in a lower crimping pin channel at an intercept of the first groove and the second groove; wherein the upper block comprises an upper crimping pin arranged in an upper crimping pin channel at the intercept of the first groove and the second groove; wherein the lower crimping pin and the upper crimping pin are configured to be moved in the lower crimping pin channel and the upper crimping pin channel, respectively, towards the intercept of the first groove and second groove to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle, further comprising a secondary upper block arranged on an exterior side of the upper block relative to an interior side arranged towards the lower block, wherein the upper crimping pin is fixed to the secondary upper block.
15. 15 . The crimping device according to claim 14 , further comprising an upper spring arranged between the upper block and the secondary upper block.
16. 16 . The crimping device according to claim 14 , wherein the upper crimping pin causes a deformation of the double-pointed medical suture needle when the upper block and the secondary upper block are pressed together.
17. 17 . The crimping device according to claim 14 , wherein the upper crimping pin is configurable to a fixed position relative to the secondary upper block.
18. 18 . The crimping device according to claim 14 , wherein the upper crimping pin comprises first threads engaging with corresponding second threads of the secondary upper block, or wherein the upper crimping pin comprises an upper set screw having first threads engaging with corresponding second threads of the secondary upper block.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a method and a crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Surgical needles come in a number of variants and are used for a number of purposes, ranging from simple closure of wounds to advanced surgery. Eyed needles, which are often reusable and supplied separate from their suture thread, are often used for suturing. The suture must be threaded on site, which is a time-consuming task. One advantage, however, is that a number of different thread and needle combinations are possible. A swaged needle is typically supplied as a pre-packed eyeless needle attached to a specific length of suture thread. One advantage of this is that the medical staff does not have to spend time on threading the suture on the needle. A further advantage is that the needle end and suture are joined as a continuous unit, which minimizes trauma to tissue during suturing. A swaged needle may have one pointed end and one hollow end, in which the suture is placed and secured. In some surgical procedures, for example, open surgical procedures, the wound may be closed using a suturing device with built-in needle-transfer of a double-pointed needle. In these devices, a double-pointed needle is transferred between two jaws, preferably in an automatic fashion by opening and closing the jaws repeatedly, to close the wound. The process of crimping the suture to the double-pointed needle requires precision both in terms how much pressure is applied and where the pressure is applied. EP 3 922 189 A1 discloses a crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle. The crimping device has a lower block and an upper block that can be pressed against each other to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle. Each of the lower block and upper block comprise a first grove and a second groove. The second groove comprises a protrusion at an intercept of the first groove and second groove to deform the double-pointed medical suture needle. While the device described in EP 3 922 189 A1 is functional, the inventors of the presently described crimping device have estimated that there is room for further improvements to further increase the precision of the crimping device. SUMMARY OF INVENTION The present disclosure relates to an improved crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle. According to a first embodiment, the crimping device for securing a suture to a double-pointed medical suture needle comprises: a lower block and an upper block that can be pressed towards each other to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle, the lower block comprising:a first groove configured to accommodate the suture;a second groove configured to accommodate the double-pointed medical suture needle, the first and second grooves arranged substantially perpendicularly to each other,wherein the lower block comprises a lower crimping pin arranged in a lower crimping pin channel at an intercept of the first groove and the second groove;wherein the upper block comprises an upper crimping pin arranged in an upper crimping pin channel at the intercept of the first groove and the second groove;wherein the lower crimping pin and the upper crimping pin are configured to be moved in the lower crimping pin channel and the upper crimping pin channel, respectively, towards the intercept of the first groove and second groove to secure the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle. By having a lower crimping pin in a lower crimping pin channel and an upper crimping pin in an upper crimping pin channel, the double-pointed medical suture needle can be crimped very precisely at a through-hole of the double-pointed medical suture needle for the suture. Preferably, the lower and upper crimping pin each have a pointed end towards the intercept of the first groove and second groove. The pointed ends may cause a deformation of the double-pointed medical suture needle to bond the suture to the double-pointed medical suture needle in a very precise manner. Preferably, the lower block and the upper block are adapted to hold the double-pointed medical suture needle in a locked position when the lower block and the upper block are pressed towards each other. This can be done, for example, by having a second groove configured to accommodate the double-pointed medical suture needle and a part of the upper block configured to assert a force on the double-pointed medical suture needle to lock in the second groove. The second groove in the lower block may have a cross-section having a tapered shape being progressively smaller with reference from a side facing the upper block, preferably wherein the cross-section is substantially V-shaped. The upper block may comprise at least one needle holder element facing the lower block, which is adapted to lock the double-pointed medical suture needle in a locked posi