Variable Denier Yarn And Suture
Patent No. US11712241 (titled "Variable Denier Yarn And Suture") was filed by Cfip2 Strr Llc on Sep 13, 2021.
What is this patent about?
’241 is related to the field of surgical sutures , specifically addressing the need for sutures that can be easily threaded through small openings in surgical instruments or implants while still providing sufficient strength and stability in tissue. The background highlights the challenges of using conventional sutures in minimally invasive procedures, where the suture must fit through a small opening, often requiring a smaller denier that may compromise strength and tissue stability. Existing suture locks also suffer from backlash and loosening issues, particularly with dynamic locks.
The underlying idea behind ’241 is to create a variable denier suture that has a smaller denier at one or both ends for easy threading and a larger denier in the central portion for increased strength and stability in tissue. This is achieved by varying the number of strands or the denier of the strands along the length of the suture, creating distinct segments with different deniers. The transition between these segments can be gradual or abrupt, and the suture can be manufactured using various textile techniques like braiding, knitting, or weaving.
The claims of ’241 focus on a multi-denier suture designed for soft tissue repair, characterized by a tubular braid structure with varying deniers along its length. Specifically, the suture has distal and proximal axial segments with a middle axial segment (transition zone) in between. The distal segment has a first denier, the middle segment has a second, greater denier, and the proximal segment has a third denier that is the greatest of the three. A key feature is that some strands extend the entire length of the suture, while others terminate at the transition zone, contributing to the denier variation.
In practice, the invention allows a surgeon to easily thread the smaller-denier end of the suture through a surgical instrument or tissue, and then pull the larger-denier central portion into place for secure tissue approximation. This design addresses the limitations of traditional sutures, which often require a compromise between threadability and strength. The variable denier suture can be used with various suture locks, including Chinese finger trap-type locks, where the larger-denier segment provides a more secure grip.
The differentiation from prior approaches lies in the integrated design of the suture , where the denier variation is achieved through specific textile manufacturing techniques rather than simply using different sutures for threading and tissue fixation. This integrated approach allows for a seamless transition between the smaller and larger denier segments, improving the overall performance and reliability of the suture. The use of a continuous braid structure, with some strands extending the entire length and others terminating at the transition zone, is a key aspect of this design.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the early 2010s when ’241 was filed, sutures at a time when sutures were typically designed with a uniform diameter along their entire length. At that time, surgical procedures commonly relied on sutures that could fit through small openings in surgical instruments or implants, which often necessitated the use of smaller denier sutures. When hardware or software constraints made it non-trivial to create sutures with varying deniers along their length, which could provide both ease of insertion and increased stability in tissue.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art (Chervitz) did not disclose a multi-denier suture configured to be inserted through an opening in a surgical instrument and pulled through soft tissue, comprising a tubular braid structure with specific axial segments and strand arrangements. Specifically, the prior art failed to teach a suture with a continuous braided tubular structure having proximal and distal segments and a transition zone, or a suture configured to be pulled through a suture lock inner hole with specific braided structures and denier arrangements in the proximal and distal segments.
Claims
This patent includes 57 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 19, 33, and 37. Independent claims 1, 19, and 33 generally focus on multi-denier sutures with varying denier segments for soft tissue repair, while independent claim 37 focuses on a kit comprising a multi-denier suture and a suture lock. The dependent claims elaborate on specific features, configurations, and relationships of the suture's components, as well as additional elements within the kit.
Key Claim Terms New
Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11712241
- Application Number
- US17473868
- Filing Date
- Sep 13, 2021
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Jan 19, 2032
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents