Suture Cutter

Abstract

This specification discloses a cutter for use by physicians to cut and remove sutures. The suture cutter has a handle made of resilient material having two arms resiliently and integrally connected together. The arms have the cutting elements supported on the distal ends. The cutting elements are a sharp blade connected to one arm and an anvil surface on a probe on the other arm. The elongated resilient probe may be inserted under a suture during cutting. To lift the suture a rigid laterally extending jaw is attached to each side of each arm which close together when the cutter is closed and act as tweezers. Thus the combination cutter and tweezers actually form two tools in one and eliminate the need of two separate instruments. The tool is shaped for hand comfort and ambidexterity.

Description

STATEMENT OF INVENTION

This invention relates to suture cutters and more particularly, to cutters for removing sutures from healed wounds.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a suture cutter having a probe which may be inserted under the suture prior to cutting and to lift the suture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a suture cutter having a metallic blade supported on a first arm and an anvil supported disposed on a probe on the second arm and said probe being adapted to be inserted under a suture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a combination suture cutter and tweezers.

Another object is to provide a suture cutter and tweezer combination which is designed to fit comfortably in either hand.

STATEMENT OF PRIOR ART

This invention constitutes an improvement over U.S. Pat. No. 2,608,698.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of the suture cutter.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the suture cutter in open position.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cuture cutter in closed position.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the suture cutter.

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5--5 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken on line 6--6 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, a suture cutter is shown made up of a handle 11 made up of arms 12 and 13 which are integrally connected together at 14. The first arm 12 has a headlike member 25 which has a cleft 21 thereon to receive the cutting blade 22. The cutting blade 22 is supported just ahead of the jaws 26 and 27. Guide blade 17 is integrally fixed to the arm 12. A resilient probe 18 is integrally attached to the second arm 13 and just ahead of lower jaws 29 and 30. As shown in FIG. 3, these jaws extend laterally and cooperate with upper jaws 26 and 27 to act as tweezers.

The spaced guide members 15 and 16 are supported on the arm 13 and these guide members receive the guide blade 17 to guide the handles toward each other on a true path and designed to bring the blade 22 and the anvil surface 23 into optimum cutting position.

The arms being resiliently connected together at 14 can be swung toward and away from each other readily by the opening and closing of the fingers of a physician to cut the suture effectively. Laterally disposed jaws 26 and 27 may be engaged by lower jaws 29 and 30 when the arms move together. The thumb of the physician will engage curved surface 28 while his fingers cradle arm 13. He can insert the probe 18 under a suture. The resilient probe 18 may rest on the patient's flesh and allow the physician to positively close the blade 22 against anvil 23 when desired. It will be noted that after the cutter is used to cut the sutures, it may be at once turned on either of its sides and squeeze the suture between either jaws 26 and 29 or between jaws 27 and 30 to pull the suture from the wound.

A molded material, such as polycarbonate, is used so that it will be relatively warm to the touch, unlike a metallic material. The shiny surface of the usual stainless steel instrument is eliminated by the use of molded plastic.

When the probe 18 rests on the skin of a patient, it may be deflected to the dotted line position shown in FIG. 2, thus causing the cutting blade to engage it adjacent its end as more force is applied by the surgeon's thumb on surface 28. The probe deflects and a cutting action results on the suture.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A suture cutter comprising a first arm and a second arm swingably connected together to swing toward and away from each other,

a probe on the distal end of said first arm,

a cutting blade on the distal end of said second arm, said blade having a sharp edge adapted to engage an anvil surface on said probe whereby a suture may be cut by said blade when said probe is inserted under said suture,

a bladelike guide member being fixed to said first arm adjacent said cutting blade,

and two spaced guide blades being fixed to said second arm adjacent said guide member,

said bladelike guide member being adapted to slide between said two guide blades whereby said bladelike guide member is guided and said arms are guided relative to each other,

said cutting blade being fixed to said second arm by means of a torque member which extends through an opening in said blade,

said arms being generally flat pieces of material resiliently attached together,

a jaw extending laterally from each side of each said arm and said jaws cooperate to form tweezers,

said jaws being adapted to receive threads between them whereby said threads may be removed from said suture.

2. In combination a suture cutter and tweezers comprising

a handle made of a flat straplike member bent in U-shape and forming a first arm and a second arm,

said first arm having two jaws, one extending from each side thereof,

and a cutting blade fixed to the distal end of said first arm,

an elongated flexible probe fixed to the distal end of said second arm,

said cutting blade being adapted to engage said probe and to cut a suture engaged by said probe,

a first laterally extending jaw attached to said second arm and a second laterally extending jaw attached to said second arm on the side opposite said first jaw,

said laterally extending jaw on said first arm each being adapted to engage a said laterally extending jaw attached to said second arm when said jaws are moved toward each other forming tweezers.