SURGICAL NEEDLEThis invention concerns a surgical needle, particularly, though by no means exclusively, suitable for use in endoscopic surgical procedures.
A conventional surgical needle is curved having a point at one end and an attachment for a length of surgical thread at the other. The attachment may comprise an eye adapted to be threaded or the thread may be joined with the needle at manufacture. In either event, a suture may be formed by manipulating the needle so that its point follows a generally helical path which repeatedly crosses the opposed sides of the fissure in tissue to be closed.
At least in endoscopic ("keyhole") surgical techniques the point of the needle is grasped on each emergence from the tissue by a suitable instrument for further and onward movement of the needle.
The conventional helical path for the needle point requires space above the tissue surface sufficient for transfer of the needle from one side of the fissure to the other, and the transfer of the needle from one grasping instrument to another after each passage of the needle through the tissue and each passage of the needle over the fissure.
It is an object of- the present invention to provide a needle which allows formation of a suture of a given number of stitches with a reduced number of transfers between needle grasping instruments.
According to the present invention there is provided a surgical needle of curved shape having a point at each end and an attachment for surgical thread intermediate the two points.
The attachment may comprise an eye adapted to be threaded or the thread may be joined with the needle at manufacture.
The attachment may be mid-way between the opposed ends of the needle.
The invention will be further apparent from the following description, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, which show, by way of example only, one form of needle embodying same.
Of the drawing :Figure 1 shows a conventional surgical needle;Figure 2 shows a suture formed by the needleof Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a surgical needle embodying theinvention; and Figure 4 shows a suture formed by the needleof Figure 3.
The conventional needle 10 of Figure 1 is curved having a point 11 at one end and an eye 12 (or other attachment means for surgical thread 30) at the other.
In use, the needle 10 is manipulated so that its point follows a generally helical path repeatedly crossing a fissure F (Figure 2) in tissue to be closed.
It will be appreciated that the needle must be passed from one side of the fissure F to the other each time its point emerges from the tissue midway between the points. The length of the needle is about 2.5 cm..
The needle 20 of Figure 3 embodying the invention is again curved, but has points 21 and 22 at its opposite ends respectively and an eye 23 (or other attachment means) for surgical thread 30.
In use the needle is manipulated to follow a generally serpentine path to form the suture of Figure 4. Each time a~first needle holder causes a point to emerge from the tissue the needle may be grasped by a second needle holder to pull the needle through and reinsert it with the other point leading releasing the grasp only after the needle has been captured once again by the first needle holder. In this way transfer of the needle from one holder to another is always accompanied by a stitch within the tissue crossing the fissure F.
It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof.