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 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 with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter of from about 3:1 to about 1.1:1.  
     
     
         2 . 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 barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 1 , wherein the surgical needle has a polymeric coating.  
     
     
         4 . The barbed suture and surgical needle combination according to  claim 3 , wherein the polymeric coating comprises a silicone material.  
     
     
         5 . 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 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 1.1:1.  
     
     
         7 . 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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, 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.  
     
     
         17 . 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, 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.  
     
     
         18 . 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 a direction and being adapted for resisting movement of the suture, when in tissue, in an opposite direction from the directing in which the barb faces, wherein the barbs are in a staggered disposition, and wherein the surgical needle has a diameter with a ratio of the surgical needle diameter to the barbed suture diameter of about 3:1 to about 1.1:1.  
     
     
         19 . 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, wherein the barbs are in a random 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 about 3:1 to about 1.1:1.