Title of Invention	A SURGICAL NEEDLE
Abstract	A surgical needle comprising a needle fixed portion mounted on one end of a shaft; a handle fixed to the other end of the haft,characterised in that the needle portion has a substantially U-shaped configuration disposed transversely to the shaft, the free and of the needle having an eye, just before the tip,for threading a suture therein.

Full Text

This invention relates to a surgical needle for use in suturing, more particularly, though not exclusively, a surgical needle for use in suturing in confined spaces. The surgical needles known to the art, some of which are described hereunder, are prone to various drawbacks, which the surgical needle proposed herein seeks to overcome. The surgical needle proposed herein is effective, advantageous and capable of being used in confined spaces in the human body. The surgical needle, according to this invention, comprises a needle portion mounted on one end of a shaft; a handle fixed to the other end of the shaft, characterised in that the needle portion has a substantially U-shaped configuration disposed transversely to the shaft, the free end of the needle having an eye, just before the tip, for threading a suture therein. widely used and the success thereof 1 ies in thp adequate excision of the fibrosed urethra with spatulated mucosa to mucosa anastomosis- The area is 1imited on either side, and above, by the pubi r rami and arch. Du e to limitati on of sp ace, p rop er urethral mucosal bite is dif f icul t and in the process of manoeuvring, the known needles bend and trauma to the tissue is high; consequently failure rate is also high. One of the known needles i1lustrated in Fiq. 1 i^ cal led the Turner Warwick needle - This ha^> n handle H to serve as a grip, a shaft F having ^ hooked end provided with an eye K. This neprilp was designed by an eminent surgeon who w3^ n pioneer in urethroplasty. With this needle, 4 P O'clock urethral bites are possible, but m tnP other areas the manoeuvrabi1i ty of the need 1e i ^ 1imited. The needle proposed herein (Figs. 2 to 4) however, has a portion mounted on one end of n shaft T with a handle D fixed to the other vml of the said shaft. The needle portion N has a substant i al ly U-shaped configuration, disposed transversely to the shaft T, as indicated by the bend at J, The frpp end of the needle has an eye B, just beforp the tip G, for threading a suture therein. By way of example, the span M of the U-shaped portion is about 10 — 12 mm so that i t It is preferred to have the tip G of the ;HH-(I I * extend beyond the end Y of the shaft T so that the eye B of the needle presents i tself easi1y tor threading after a thick bite. By way of example it is stated that the tip G of the npedlp extends 2 — 3 mm beyond the shaft end Y, the di^tanre between the tip G of the needle and its pyr f being 2 — 3 mm to achieve the purpose afo^p^aid (see Fig. 4)- Bites can be taken simply by rotating the handlp D (thereby rotating the shaft T and thur. fhr U-shaped portion) to cause the tip G of thp npprlln to enter the tissue (see arrows A)- In the Turner Warwick needle (Fig.1), * bite *~^T> be obtained by thrusting the needle with the help of the handle H , as in the case of a rnhh 1 pr ' ^ needle, but the functional advantages and ef f er *-of the needle proposed herein are by far superior by reason of the U—shaped portion diBprmpd transversely to the shaft - The needle proposed herein comes in two forms: CHIP form with the U—shaped portion disponed transversely to one side of the shaft (Fi q „ 7 '* ^ o f t-handed">; and another form with thp 11-qhappH portion disposed transversely to the other The handle D is of a hoi low construct ion *o TW^I Although mention of urethroplasty has bppn madp herein as one of specific cases where in thp proposed needle will be of considerabl e use and advantage it will be appreci ated that thp said needle is by no means confined to such appl i cat ions- For example, it can be of i mmpnsp use in 1aproscopy wound closure and difficult trial vaginal hysterectomies, where again spar -p for manipulation of the needle is limited. The terms and expressions in this specification are of description and not of limitation, therp being no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equi valents of thp features illustrated and described, but ?♦ it-understood that various other embodiments ot the needle proposed herein are possible without departing from the scope and ambit of this invention- I Claim: 1- A surgical needle comprising a npfdlp portion mounted on one end of a shaft; a handl e f i XED to the other end of the shaft, characterised in th at the needle portion has a substant ially U-shapfd configuration disposed transversely to thp shaft, the free end of the needl e having an pyp, just before the tip, for threading a suture therein, 2.A surgical needle as claimed in Claim J wherein the "U" shaped portion is right handed. 3.A surgical needle as claimed in Claim I wherein the "U" shaped portion is left handed. 4„ A surgical needle as claimed in any one of tne (oreceding Claims wherein the tip of the needlr extends beyond the end of the shaft such that the eye of the needle presents itself pa?ilv for threading after a thick bite. 5 - A su rg ical needle as claimed;, in any on e n f t h * preceding Claims wherein the span of the U-shaped

Documents:

090-mas-1998-abstract.pdf

090-mas-1998-claims filed.pdf

090-mas-1998-claims granted.pdf

090-mas-1998-correspondnece-others.pdf

090-mas-1998-correspondnece-po.pdf

090-mas-1998-description(complete)filed.pdf

090-mas-1998-description(complete)granted.pdf

090-mas-1998-drawings.pdf

090-mas-1998-form 1.pdf

090-mas-1998-form 19.pdf

090-mas-1998-form 26.pdf