Suture Package

Abstract

A sterile suture package and method of assembling it comprising a double-panel cardboard holder with the suture coiled around a pair of spaced openings in a first one of the panels, and that panel having a pair of tabs, one at each side of the coil engaging over the suture strands at the corresponding side, the other panel having a pair of tabs complemental respectively to the holes in the first panel each tab being adapted to be pushed through the corresponding hole in the first panel and being positioned and shaped to extend beyond the edge of the hole and interlock releasably the two panels together until use of the suture when the folded panels are opened and the coiled suture exposed for progressive withdrawal.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention concerns a suture package in which a suture is mounted in a coiled arrangement on a card for storage and for dispensing in a sterile condition. The prior art discloses a great variety of suture packages of that general type directed to various practical problems such as methods of initially applying the suture to the support and securing it thereon, maintaining the strands in an orderly arrangement during handling and distribution of the package and insuring that the strand may be withdrawn for use in an untangled unkinked condition. The following patents are illustrative of some types of suture packages of this general character: Lewis et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,206,018, Regan, Jr. 3,280,971, Shave et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,363,751, and Kaepernik et al., U.S. Pat No. 3,444,994.

THE PRESENT INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention a sterile suture package is provided which prior to use holds the suture completely protected against mechanical damage yet in an unkinked condition and completely ready for use. It embodies a cardboard wrap of a character that enables the suture to be readily applied thereto and completely supports and contains the suture and needle against mechanical damage, and in use ensures that the suture may be freely withdrawn without tangling or kinking.

In the specific example illustrated herein the wrap comprises two sections or panels formed by serrating or scoring a cardboard along a midline for ready folding of one panel upon the other. The suture is coiled on the upper face of one panel and the needle, if one is included and attached, is held on the other panel. The suture panel has two openings therein spaced longitudinally of the panel about which the suture is coiled. The other panel has a pair of tabs complemental to the holes in the suture panel and after the coils are formed the other panel is folded over the coils and the tabs are pushed through the corresponding holes, the tabs being positioned and having a length so that they extend beyond the edge of the corresponding hole and form an interlocking means between the two panels and maintain the coil in its initially formed position.

The suture panel also has a pair of opposed tabs extending longitudinally of the panel one at each side of the coil and adapted to engage over the strands of the coil at each side to aid in maintaining the coiled state. When in use the needle panel is lifted and the interlocking tabs withdrawn from the holes. The arrangement as a whole is simple and easy to assemble and effective in maintaining the suture in orderly untangled and unkinked form during handling of the package and during the progressive withdrawal of the suture in use.

Various additional features and advantages will become apparent in considering the specific embodiment disclosed in the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view of the cardboard holder prior to the application of the suture thereto;

FIG. 2 is a similar view with the suture applied in coiled condition;

FIG. 3 shows the one panel folded over onto the suture panel and interlocked therewith, the panel to which the suture is applied being uppermost in this view, reversed from FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view with the suture panel lowermost.

The package employs as the basic element a section of cardboard sheet or like material 11 having a thickness of for example about 12 mils. It is scored or serrated or otherwise weakened along a midline 12 to divide the cardboard into two panels 13 and 14, preferably of equal size which may be folded together in book form along the line 12.

The panel 14 is provided with a pair of openings 15 spaced longitudinally of the panel the outer edge of the openings 16 being arc-shaped to conform with the ends of the coils of the suture 17 mounted on the panel.

The suture may be coiled about the openings 15 by any practical method but conveniently it may be by placing the panel 14 on a fixture having a pair of fingers projecting upwardly through the openings and winding the suture in open coil form about the two fingers. Upon completion thereof the fingers are separated from the openings 15 leaving the coil in the condition shown in FIG. 2. The initial end of the suture 20 may be engaged in one or the other of the pair of slits 21, 22. The panel 13 has a flexible tab 23 conveniently formed by appropriate slits in the cardboard panel and the final or forward end of the suture may be engaged thereunder, or if a needle 24 is preattached the needle is engaged thereunder as shown in FIG. 2. As an aid in maintaining the position of the coiled suture on panel 14 the panel is provided with a pair of opposed tabs 26 extending longitudinally of the panel 14 and adapted flexibly to engage and overlie the longitudinal strands of the suture coil. The tabs 26 may be simply and conveniently formed by arc-shaped cuts in the panel 14 as indicated at 27 in FIG. 3.

As a convenient means in arranging the longitudinal strands under the tabs 26 the two groups of strands initially may overlie the respective tabs 26, then by compressing the center portions of the groups of strands toward each other the tabs may be temporarily bent upwardly from underneath by fixture elements and after the center portions of the strands are released from the inward pressure the flaps are released to fold down over the respective groups of strands. This latter step may of course be performed simultaneously with the separation of the panel from the fingers over which the ends of the coils are formed.

The panel 13 as shown particularly in FIG. 2 is provided with a pair of opposed tabs 28 conveniently formed by arc-shaped slits 29 in the cardboard panel 13, the tabs 28 being complemental to or adapted to register with the holes 15 of the panel 14. The suture coil having been formed on the panel 14 as disclosed in FIG. 2, the panel 13 is then folded over and the tabs 28 pressed through the respective openings 15. It will be noted particularly as shown in FIG. 4 that the tabs 28 are so positioned and have a length relative to the holes 15 that upon being pushed through the openings 15 the outer lip or edge 30 of each tab extends inwardly beyond the edge 31 of the hole so as to flexibly engage against the outer surface of panel 14 and form an interlock between the two panels with the ends 32 of the coiled suture maintained outside the tabs 28.

It should be understood that the term "suture" as employed herein refers to strands of suitable material commonly employed for the purpose such as silk, nylon, catgut or polymeric plastic and includes strands commonly referred to as ligatures.

The final package as disclosed in FIGS. 3 and 4 will be enclosed in a sealed envelope under sterile conditions and includes a tubing fluid within the envelope as is common practice. The texture of the card is such as to absorb the tubing fluid keeping the suture soft and pliable during periods of storage.

In use the package of FIG. 2, after withdrawal from its one or more enclosing envelopes, is opened by grasping the panel edges opposite to the hinge 12 and opening the package to a suitable extent by withdrawing the flexible tabs 28 from the holes 15 to a position such as shown in FIG. 2 where the user may grasp the needle 24, or the forward end of the suture as the case may be, with forceps and pulling on the suture unwinds the coils progressively the tabs 26 helping to control and maintain the suture in free running untangled condition.

Since various changes may be made in certain details of the suture package and the method of assembling it shown and described herein without departing from the general principles of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Claims

I claim:

1. A suture package comprising a first panel and a second panel, a pair of spaced holes in said first panel, said second panel having a pair of tabs complemental to the holes in said first panel and arranged when the panels are superposed to project through the respective holes, said tabs having a length sufficient to extend beyond the edge of the corresponding hole thereby to lock the panels together in face-to-face relation, and a suture coiled around said tabs with strands extending therebetween enclosed between the panels.

2. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said tabs are flexible permitting the panels to be separated with the suture coil exposed on the surface of said first panel.

3. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said panels comprise a common integral sheet with a fold line at a common edge area.

4. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which the tabs extend toward each other in opposed relation and the suture coils have end loops around the tabs exposed exteriorly of the package through said holes in the first panel.

5. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said tabs comprise portions of the sheet defined by slits therein.

6. A suture package in accordance with claim 1 in which said first panel has longitudinal tabs engaged over the strands extending between said tabs of the second panel.

7. A suture package in accordance with claim 6 in which said longitudinal tabs comprise an opposed pair defined by arc-shaped slits in said first panel the edges of the tabs extending over the suture strands being curved.

8. A suture package comprising a first panel of sheet material having a pair of spaced holes therein, a suture coiled on the surface thereof with end loops extending around the respective holes, a second panel of flexible sheet material superposed over said suture coil having a pair of opposed tabs complemental to said holes, said tabs being pushed through the respective holes thereby to engage within the respective end loops and maintain the coiled condition of the suture, and said tabs having a length to extend beyond the inner edge of the respective holes to releasably lock the panels together.