Knot pusher and suture cutter instrument

Abstract

A combined knot pusher/suture cutter device for manipulating a knotted suture to properly locate the knot relative to the tissue being sutured, and then for removing excess suture from the knot. The knot pusher/suture cutter includes a body member with a handle and an inner member (or inner rod) having a knot-engageable section at the opposite end (distal end) for engaging and moving the knotted suture by manipulation of the handle. The knot-engageable section of the inner member is provided with a slot at its distal end which allows suture to be threaded through it. The inner member is provided within an outer sleeve that is designed to be actuated by a spring and a thumb pusher (trigger) located on a surface of the handle. By actuating the thumb trigger (for example, by sliding forward the thumb trigger), the outer sleeve is advanced and the suture post is cut.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is: 
     
         1 . A hand instrument, comprising:
 a shaft comprising an inner member disposed coaxially within an outer tube;   a cutting section located at a distal end of the inner member, the cutting section being provided with an opening for passing suture therethrough and with a sharp cutting edge for cutting the suture, the opening being in communication with an axial opening located at a most distal end of the inner member, the opening on the inner member forming an angle relative to the outer tube and to a longitudinal axis of the knot pusher/suture cutter instrument to allow cutting of the suture, by forcing the suture to slide along the sharp cutting edge of the opening; and   an actuator assembly, located at the proximal end of the shaft and coupled with the outer tube, for advancing the outer tube relative to the inner member, forcing the suture to slide along the sharp cutting edge of the opening of the inner member, to cut the suture with the sharp cutting edge of the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The hand instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the outer tube has a distal end for pushing a knot of the flexible strand. 
     
     
         3 . The hand instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly is a handle assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The hand instrument of  claim 3 , wherein the handle assembly comprises a thumb pusher. 
     
     
         5 . The hand instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the actuator assembly moves the outer tube relative to the inner member a predetermined amount. 
     
     
         6 . The hand instrument of  claim 5 , wherein the movement of the outer member of further causes the flexible strand to be cut by the cutting section. 
     
     
         7 . The hand instrument of  claim 1 , wherein the suture is a high strength suture comprising ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene.