Abstract: A thermoformed plastic package is disclosed. The package comprises a lower tray for receiving an article and a top cover. The top cover has flaps foldably connected along fold lines. The lower tray has female tabs molded into the lower trays. Inner male tabs and outer tabs are cut into in the flaps. The male tabs are engaged by the female tabs and the cover is thereby locked into place to form the assembled package. The cover is released by pulling on outer male tabs located in the flaps. The package is easily re-locked. The package optionally comprises at least one inner tray nested in the lower tray.

Abstract: An improved endoscopic device of the type having a surgical needle; a hollow tube; and a filamentary strand attached at its distal end to the surgical needle, and slideably engaged at its proximal end about the tube with a partially tightened slip knot. The improvement in the device relates to means for pulling the filamentary strand through the hollow tube proximally when the surgical needle is detached from the strand. The device can be used to approximate tissue or ligate a vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pack with elementary threads and needle-thread combinations for surgical purposes, particularly as an inner pack for double sterile packs and is characterized by (a) a base plate (2) with a front carrier ledge (12) fixed to the base plate (2) in the front region thereof between the longitudinal edges and having upwardly open guide slits (20) and a rear carrier ledge (12') fixed to the base plate (2) between the longitudinal edges at the opposite end and having upwardly open guide slits (20'), (b) one or more support ledges (16, 18) fixed between the front and rear carrier ledges (12, 12') and parallel thereto to the base plate (2), (c) several identical or different needle-thread combinations (22), as well as elementary threads (24), whose removal part is held in the guide slits (20) of the front carrier ledge (12) and whose end regions are held in the rear carrier ledge, (d) a cover plate (6), which is connected in material-integral manner with one longitudinal edge of the base pla

Abstract: A surgical needle having an I-beam configuration is disclosed. The surgical needle comprises an elongated member having an I-beam cross section wherein two opposed flange members are connected by a web member. The elongated member has a piercing point extending from its distal end. A cylindrical mounting section extends from the proximal end of the needle for receiving an end of a suture. The needle has increased resistance to bending and buckling when compared to conventional needles and does not have an increase in resistance or drag.

Abstract: A trocar having a trocar obturator and a trocar cannula. The trocar cannula has a cannula tube mounted in a cannula handle, wherein the cannula has an interior passage therethrough. The interior of the trocar cannula is visible through the trocar cannula. The trocar obturator is housed in the trocar cannula for insertion into a body cavity. When used in an endoscopic surgical procedure on a mammal, such that the trocar cannula is inserted into a body cavity and serves as a passageway to and from the body cavity, the interior of the trocar cannula is visible through the cannula so that the passage of instruments, sutures, staples, surgical tissue samples, etc., into and out of the mammalian body cavity through the cannula can be observed by a surgeon during an endoscopic procedure by observing the interior of the cannula at a point exterior to the cannula by looking through the cannula either directly or by using an endoscope.

Abstract: A package for holding a medical device is disclosed. The medical device comprises a mesh onlay having a mesh plug attached perpendicularly thereto. The mesh is substantially flat and lies in a plane which is substantially horizontal with respect to the plug. The package comprises a folder which has a central floor panel for receiving the mesh onlay and mesh plug assembly. A first end panel is foldably connected to one minor side of the central panel for retaining the mesh onlay on the central panel. At least one reinforcing panel is foldably connected to the first end panel for providing structural strength to the package. A connecting panel foldably connected to the opposite minor side of the central panel is, in turn, foldably connected to an optional plug retaining panel. The optional plug retaining panel is in turn foldably connected to a second end panel. The reinforcing panel is folded outwardly and locked to the first end panel with locking means.

Abstract: A surgical instrument of the trocar type, comprising a cannula, a needle engaged in the cannula, and manually controlled locking means suitable for selectively locking the needle in translation relative to the cannula.

Abstract: A suture package is designed to facilitate automated loading of multiple needles and sutures into the package. The package includes a tray, for containing the needles and sutures, and a cover. The sutures are contained in a peripheral channel of the tray and an array of resilient cantilevered fingers prevent the sutures from lifting up out of the channel. Needle parks retain the needles that are attached to the sutures. In another embodiment of the invention, a package for retaining a wound suture and attached needle includes a tray for containing the needle and suture, including cover-latching elements that each have two vertical surfaces. Tabs on the removable cover each contact a surface of a corresponding latching element and have a free element that engages a shoulder of the element.

Abstract: A foldable package for an endoscopic loop and cannula assembly. The package has a central panel having a pair of opposed major sides and a pair of opposed minor sides. The central panel also has a top tab extending from the top, minor side for retaining a suture loop, and a bottom tab foldably connected to the bottom minor side for retaining the proximal end of the cannula. A suture retaining panel is foldably connected to one major side of the central panel along the upper portion of that side. The package closure panel is foldably connected to the other major side of the panel, along the upper portion of the side, substantially opposite to the suture retaining panel. The cannula can be retained by a U-shaped slot in the bottom tab for receiving and engaging the proximal end of the cannula and a U-shaped slot in the suture retaining panel having at least one tab extending from the slot. The package may optionally have a gusset formed between the central panel and the bottom tab.

Abstract: A package for holding a mesh onlay having a mesh plug attached perpendicularly thereto. The package comprises a folder which has a central floor panel for receiving the mesh onlay and mesh plug assembly. The central floor panel has a pair of opposed major sides and a pair of opposed minor sides. A first end panel is foldably connected to one minor side of the central panel for retaining the mesh onlay on the central panel in a substantially flat position when the first end panel is folded inwardly on top of the mesh onlay and central floor panel. A connecting panel foldably connected to the opposite minor side of the central panel is, in turn, foldably connected to a plug retaining panel. The plug retaining panel secures the mesh plug in a position substantially perpendicular to the mesh onlay and the central floor panel. The plug retaining panel is in turn foldably connected to a second end panel. The assembled package may have a pyramidal-like configuration.

Abstract: Surgical needles are fabricated from a shape memory alloy. The alloy has a low temperature state, in which the needle is formable into an elongated shape to pass through an elongated tube, and a high temperature state, in which the needle forms an arc. The needle is particularly adapted for use in endoscopic surgery. A needle that has a remembered curved shape is straightened and passed to a surgical site through a cannula. It is then returned to its curved shape by heating it at the surgical site. After use, it is withdrawn through the cannula.

Abstract: An easy loading suture package contains sutures in a channel near the periphery of the package. Resilient cantilevered fingers extend most of the way across the channel to prevent any part of the suture from coming up out of the channel either during or after loading of the suture into the package. A needle park retains a needle attached to one end of the suture. The package lends itself to fabrication by molding and is adapted for automated loading and convenient, reliable dispensing.

Abstract: A foldable package for an endoscopic needle and suture and cannula assembly comprising a central panel and a plurality of foldably attached panels for receiving and retaining the cannula and suture. A needle park is provided for receiving and retaining the needle. Locking means in outer panels fasten the package closed. A tab on the central panel retains the suture in an open loop configuration, while locking tabs and a slot in at least one inner panel retain the cannula.

Abstract: A surgical instrument, in particular for endoscopic surgery, wherein the instrument comprises a tube provided at its proximal end with a flexible suction cup and at its distal end with a bulb such that the volume of the bulb is in communication with the suction cup via the tube in order to enable the suction cup to be applied against and to adhere to tissues or organs for displacment under the control of pressure and/or suction from the bulb.

Abstract: A surgical instrument, in particular for endoscopic surgery, the instrument comprising a tube designed to be connected at its distal end to inflation/deflation means and provided at its proximal end with an inflatable spatula which communicates with the inflation/deflation means via a tube.

Abstract: A two-component polyurethane coating kit having a first component including a blocked isocyanate housed in a first container and a second component including an isocyanate-reactive compound housed in a separate container. The blocked isocyanate component unblocks at low temperatures due to the particular blocking agents used. When contacted with one another, the first and second components react to form a polyurethane coating composition. Also disclosed are a method of applying this polyurethane coating and an article of manufacture coated with this coating.

Abstract: A drying oil soap for water-wipe intaglio inks is disclosed. The drying oil soap comprises the combination of a metal hydroxide, a drying oil, and a hydroxy amine reacted to produce a drying oil soap. The water wipe intaglio printing inks containing the drying oil soaps of the present invention have improved wipeability and produce printed substrates having excellent flexibility and resistance to water, while minimizing or eliminating volatile organic solvents in the inks.

Abstract: Cathodic electrodepositable resin compositions and aqueous electrodeposition coating baths comprising these resins are disclosed. The resin compositions comprise a cationic amine epoxy resin adducts and a cationic polyurethane resin adduct dispersion. The resin compositions when combined with a cross-linking agent and cathodically electrodeposited produce films which cure to durable, flexible, smooth corrosion-resistant, impact and chip-resistant films.

Abstract: A drying oil soap for water-wipe intaglio inks is disclosed. The drying oil soap comprises the combination of a metal hydroxide, a drying oil, and a hydroxy amine reacted to produce a drying oil soap. The water wipe intaglio printing inks containing the drying oil soaps of the present invention have improved wipeability and produce printed substrates having excellent flexibility and resistance to water, while minimizing or eliminating volatile organic solvents in the inks.

Abstract: A method of preventing the yellowing of the outermost coating of a multicoat coating system is disclosed. The method comprises initially depositing onto a conductive substrate by cathodic electrodeposition a primer coating comprising at least one layer of an amine-epoxy resin adduct and a cross-linking agent, and then curing said primer to a hard, durable film. Then, depositing a second coating onto the primer layer comprising at least one layer of a pigmented film-forming basecoat. Then depositing a third outermost coating onto the second coating comprising at least one layer of a clear, film-forming topcoat, and then curing the basecoat and topcoat.