Abstract: A carrier for armed sutures comprises a flat elongated card of foam material shaped to form a body portion, neck portion and head portion. A shaped cut adjacent the neck portion of the card permits the separation of the head portion for utilization as a needle park.

Abstract: A cutting instrument especially adapted for surgical procedures that includes structure for readily determining the cutting depth of the blade of the instrument. The structure includes a longitudinally moveable slide that carries a depth-determining shoe at its outer end. The longitudinal position of the slide is controlled by a rotatable ferule mounted on the handle of the instrument. The construction is particularly adapted for disposable, single-use instruments.

Abstract: A packaging element especially useful for surgical sutures is disclosed. The element is formed of a body of pierceable, nonsloughing material such as a closed-cell foam. The element has a recessed needle-receiving region disposed along at least one side edge, including enlarged protective portions disposed at each end of the recessed surface for protecting the suture. The element further includes a central portion configured to receive one or more wraps of ligature material. The package provides protection for the suture, offers versatility in allowing sutures to be positioned on the element in a variety of ways and offers ease of handling, both during the manufacturing process and in use.

Abstract: Surgical sutures are protected from damage in shipment and handling by providing holders having foamed plastic shapes that are adapted to receive the point and cutting surfaces of a needle in an edge portion of the foamed plastic shape and retain the suture in a manner so that the suture can be easily removed from the holder without the need for undue manipulation of the holder. The holders may also serve as a support to facilitate the manipulation of the needle or suture by operating room personnel, to organize and provide access to selected lengths of surgical thread, and to provide an identifiable repository for used needles. The foamed plastic protective handling devices of this invention are particularly suitable for use in cooperative relationship with selected packaging materials to permit the storage of needles and sutures under sterile conditions.