Barbed Suture in Combination with Surgical Needle

Abstract

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 α, barb cut angle θ, barb cut depth, barb cut length, barb cut distance, corrugated barb underside, arcuate barb base, or varying barb size.

1 . A method for suturing tissue with a barbed suture for connecting human or animal tissue in combination with a surgical needle, said combination comprising a barbed suture attached to a surgical needle, wherein the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end and a second end and a diameter, each barb facing in a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the direction in which the barb faces, and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter at the needle's thickest part, said method comprising: 
 from various barbed suture and surgical needle combinations, selecting a barbed suture and surgical needle combination with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter of from about 3:1 to about 1.1:1 or less and with the surgical needle of the selected combination having the thinnest diameter of the various surgical needles in combination with barbed sutures having a particular diameter;    suturing tissue with the selected combination; and    providing better strength to the sutured tissue.    
     
     
         2 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the barbed suture and the surgical needle have an attachment selected from the group consisting of swaging, channel wrapping, heat shrinking, and eyelet threading.  
     
     
         3 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the surgical needle has a polymeric coating.  
     
     
         4 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric coating comprises a silicone material.  
     
     
         5 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter is from about 2:1 to about 1.1:1.  
     
     
         6 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 5 , wherein the ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter is about 1.1.  
     
     
         7 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the suture is made from a material selected from the group consisting of a bio-absorbable material, a non-absorbable material, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         8 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 7 , wherein the bio-absorbable material is selected from the group consisting of polydioxanone, polylactide, polyglycolide, polycaprolactone, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         9 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 7 , wherein the non-absorbable material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, a metal, a metal alloy, a natural fiber, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 9 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyamide, polyester, polypropylene, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyether-ester, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the barbs have a disposition on the body selected from the group consisting of a staggered disposition, a twist cut multiple spiral disposition, an overlapping disposition, a random disposition, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         12 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 11 , wherein the barbs are in a staggered disposition, a twist cut multiple spiral disposition, an overlapping disposition, or a combination thereof, and the barbs are all facing in a direction toward only one of the first end and the second end.  
     
     
         13 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 11 , wherein the barbs are in a staggered disposition, a twist cut multiple spiral disposition, an overlapping disposition, or a combination thereof, and the barbed suture has at least a first barbed portion and a second barbed portion, wherein the barbs of the first portion are facing in a direction toward only the first end and the barbs of the second portion are facing in a direction toward only the second end.  
     
     
         14 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 11 , wherein the staggered disposition includes a first set of the barbs being radially spaced about 180 degrees from a second set of the barbs.  
     
     
         15 . The method of suturing with the barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 12 , wherein the staggered disposition includes a first set of the barbs being radially spaced about 120 degrees from a second set of the barbs and the second set of the barbs being radially spaced about 120 degrees from a third set of the barbs.  
     
     
         16 . A method for suturing tissue with a barbed suture for connecting human or animal tissue in combination with a surgical needle, said combination comprising a barbed suture attached to a surgical needle, wherein the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end, a second end, and a diameter, each barb facing in a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the direction in which the barb faces, said method comprising: 
 from various barbed suture and surgical needle combinations, selecting a barbed suture and surgical needle combination wherein the barbed suture and the surgical needle have an attachment selected from the group consisting of swaging, channel wrapping, heat shrinking, and eyelet threading, and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter at the needle's thickest part with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter of from about 2:1 to about 1.1:1 and with the surgical needle of the selected combination having the thinnest diameter of the various surgical needles in combination with barbed sutures having a particular diameter;    suturing tissue with the selected combination; and    providing better strength to the sutured tissue.    
     
     
         17 . A method for suturing tissue with a barbed suture for connecting human or animal tissue in combination with a surgical needle, said combination comprising a barbed suture attached to a surgical needle, wherein the suture comprises a plurality of barbs projecting from an elongated body having a first end, a second end, and a diameter, each barb facing in a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the direction in which the barb faces, said method comprising: 
 from various barbed suture and surgical needle combinations, selecting a barbed suture and surgical needle combination wherein the barbs are in a staggered disposition, and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter at the needle's thickest part with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter of from about 3:1 to about 1.1:1 and with the surgical needle of the selected combination having the thinnest diameter of the various surgical needles in combination with barbed sutures having a particular diameter;    suturing tissue with the selected combination; and    providing better strength to the sutured tissue.