Abstract: An improved surgical suture remover is formed of a single elongated strip of resiliently flexible material having a bend substantially midway in its elongation to define first and second shanks respectively carrying a blade and a shearing portion at their corresponding ends. The blade includes a cutting section, and the shearing portion includes a cutting edge, and the blade and shearing portion are pivotally connected for movement of the cutting section and cutting edge toward and away from each other along a cutting plane to cooperatively sever a suture therebetween. An elongated suture gripping element unitarily depending from the shearing portion includes a contact area for suture gripping contact with the cutting section during an operating stroke or jaw closure of the instrument. In another embodiment there is a cutting blade and a shear blade forming a scissors, with each blade having an elongated raised rib, and an abutment shoulder.

Abstract: A method of cutting a suture at least partly disposed in tissue and bearing a knot formed in the suture, wherein the suture is introduced into the slot of a suture cutter having a slotted member of a predetermined depth and a cutting blade relatively moveable with respect to the slotted member, the cutter is moved along the suture until the member contacts the knot, and the cutting blade is relatively moved across the slot to shearingly contact the suture such that a stub substantially equal in length to the depth of the slotted member remains on the suture adjacent the knot.

Abstract: A suture cutter comprising a member and a blade, said blade having a knife edge and a back remote from said edge, said blade being adapted to shearingly contact said member,said member having a depth and comprising an arm, an element, and a slot therebetween, said slot having a portion adapted to receive a suture but being too small to permit a knot in said suture to pass therethrough, whereby shearing contact between said member and said blade cuts said suture leaving a stub on the side of said suture away from the tissue in which said suture is tied substantially equal in length to said depth.Variations of the foregoing device are also disclosed, including forms in which the motion between the member and the blade is obtained by a scissor-like action as well as by a tweezer-like action; in addition, an embodiment wherein the handles or gripping area of the device is in a different plane from the working end. There is also disclosed a combination of the present invention with a surgical needle holder.

Abstract: A suture remover comprising a shearing portion having a cutting edge, and a blade having a cutting section. The cutting edge and cutting section are adapted to shearingly contact one another by moving toward and away from each other. An element is provided on the shearing portion which has a contact area. The element is affixed to the shearing portion at the end of the element remote from the contact area and has at least one bend in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the shearing portion and adjacent the end. The contact area overlies the cutting edge or extends beyond it in the direction of the cutting section. At least a part of the cutting section is adapted to be placed between tissue and a suture therein, whereby bringing the cutting section into shearing contact with the cutting edge causes the suture remover to both cut and grip the suture for easy removal.