An articulating suture hook for passing or retrieving suture. The suture hook having a handle with a proximal end and distal end. A stiffening tube is fixed to the distal end of the handle extending distally from the handle. A flexible outer tube is fixed to the stiffening tube and extends distally therefrom. A cut portion of the flexible outer tube has a plurality of cuts positioned therealong. In a first configuration, the flexible outer tube extends parallel to or in alignment with the stiffening tube, but in a second configuration, the flexible outer tube is curved at the cut portion. The plurality of cuts may be arranged into two patterns. Each cut arranged in a first pattern is offset at an angle from each cut arranged in a second pattern. The pattern, shape, and size of the cuts determines the movement of the flexible outer tube to the second configuration.

The present disclosure generally pertains to methods and kits for preparing an ACL repair surgical implant, the method including drilling femoral and tibial bone plugs of a tendon graft to create medial to lateral holes, and passing a braided suture around the tendinous portion of the tibial end, through soft tissue, and out the tibial end. Next, an anterior to posterior femoral hole is drilled, and a flat-braided suture is passed through the femoral medial to lateral hole and, using a bent needle, passed through junctions of the femoral bone plug and the tendinous portion and out through junctions of the tibial bone plug and the tendinous portion on both sides of the graft. Ends of the flat-braided suture are crisscrossed through the medial to lateral tibial hole. A bone-to-bone fixation suture assembly is passed through the anterior to posterior femoral hole.

A suture package includes a suture housing having a tray with a suture channel, and at least one suture disposed on the suture housing, whereby the suture includes a suture thread disposed within the suture channel of the tray. The package includes a suture straightening assembly including a suture dispensing path for removing the suture thread from the suture housing. The suture straightening assembly includes a first suture thread straightening section configured to apply a first flexing force within a first plane upon the suture thread as the suture thread is drawn along the suture dispensing path, and a second suture thread straightening section configured to apply a second flexing force within a second plane upon the suture thread as the suture thread is drawn along the suture dispensing path. The first and second planes extend along axes that define an angle relative to one another.

An airway support device of the present disclosure can be attached to tracheal and/or bronchial cartilage on opposing sides of a tracheal and/or bronchial wall to pull the tracheal and/or bronchial cartilages toward each other to reconstruct and/or reshape to a normal anatomy across the membranous tracheal and/or bronchial wall and thus relieving tension across the tracheal and/or bronchial wall. The airway support device can include at least two longitudinal strips that extend longitudinally along and are attached (e.g., sutured) to the trachea and/or bronchus on opposite sides of the tracheal and/or bronchial wall. Lateral strips extending between the longitudinal strips can stretch across the tracheal and/or bronchial wall while under tension. The tracheal and/or bronchial wall can be attached (e.g., sutured) to the lateral strips to open the airway of the trachea and/or bronchus.

A suture having a first end for penetrating tissue, an elongated suture body having a periphery; a plurality of retainers on the periphery, and a second end having a variable loop of variable circumference, wherein the variable loop includes a fixed loop slidably engaging the elongated body for slidingly varying the circumference of the variable loop, and wherein the first end may pass through the variable loop to secure tissue as an anchor, the anchor preventing movement of the suture in the direction of deployment of the first end.

A suture having a first end for penetrating tissue, an elongated suture body having a periphery; a plurality of retainers on the periphery, and a second end having a variable loop of variable circumference, wherein the variable loop includes a fixed loop slidably engaging the elongated body for slidingly varying the circumference of the variable loop, and wherein the first end may pass through the variable loop to secure tissue as an anchor, the anchor preventing movement of the suture in the direction of deployment of the first end.

Devices and methods of endolumenal formation of gastric sleeves are described. Some embodiments allow templating of a gastric sleeve by a gastric bougie, exposing a selected amount of tissue for suturing access, while maintaining sufficient internal working space for suturing within the template lumen.

Methods and devices for transvascular prosthetic chordae tendinea implantation are disclosed. A catheter is advanced into the left atrium. From an atrium side, a leaflet connector carried by a distal end of the catheter can be anchored to a superior surface of a mitral valve leaflet. A needle is axially advanceable through the leaflet connector and through the leaflet. A leaflet anchor having a leaflet suture can be advanced out of the needle to secure the mitral valve leaflet to the leaflet suture. A ventricular anchor is anchored to the wall of the ventricle to secure the ventricular wall to a ventricle suture. The leaflet suture and the ventricle suture may be tensioned and connected by a suture lock to form an artificial chordae.

Some suturing devices include a pair of flexible arms configured to force two pieces of tissue together and form a protrusion defined by the two pieces of tissue. Some suturing devices include a third flexible arm including a movable needle configured to apply a suture through both pieces of tissue of the protrusion. Some suturing devices include an actuator configured to move each flexible arm of the pair of flexible arms independently relative to the tissue and move the third flexible arm relative to the tissue. Some suturing devices include a pump configured to generate a suction force through the pair of flexible arms to force the tissue towards the pair of flexible arms.

A novel method of blackening surgical needles is disclosed. Surgical needles having outer surfaces are first placed into a first pretreatment bath having a novel composition. The needles are then placed into a second blackening bath having a novel composition for a sufficient period of time to effectively blacken the surfaces of the needles. The novel methods for blackening the surfaces of a stainless steel alloy surgical needle provide a chromium (VI)-free alternative to current needle manufacturing processes. Another unique feature of this novel method is its short processing time. The blackening processes of the present invention can be utilized for in-line treatment processes which can be easily incorporated into high speed needle manufacturing processes, such as strip mounted processes. In addition, the processes of the present invention are readily adaptable to batch processes. Also disclosed are novel systems for blackening surgical needles and novel blackening baths for surgical needles.