Abstract: A suture package includes a first part or base having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of openings extending between the outer and inner surfaces, and a second part or lid having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of posts projecting from the inner surface. The suture package has a closed configuration in which the inner surface of the lid opposes the inner surface of the base with distal ends of the posts engaging the inner surface of the base at locations that are offset from and adjacent the plurality of openings extending through the base. The package includes a hinge interconnecting the lid and the base for opening and closing the suture package. Suture winding posts on a fixture are passable through the base openings for winding at least one suture around the suture winding posts for positioning the at least one suture on the base.

Abstract: A suture package includes a first part or base having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of openings extending between the outer and inner surfaces, and a second part or lid having an outer surface, an inner surface, and a plurality of posts projecting from the inner surface. The suture package has a closed configuration in which the inner surface of the lid opposes the inner surface of the base with distal ends of the posts engaging the inner surface of the base at locations that are offset from and adjacent the plurality of openings extending through the base. The package includes a hinge interconnecting the lid and the base for opening and closing the suture package. Suture winding posts on a fixture are passable through the base openings for winding at least one suture around the suture winding posts for positioning the at least one suture on the base.

Abstract: A novel method and apparatus for riveting a two-piece suture tray package. A two-piece suture tray assembly is provided having a top member and a bottom member. The top member has a top and a bottom, and plurality of rivet members extending down from the bottom of the top member. The rivet members have free ends. The bottom member has a top and a flat bottom surface, and a plurality of rivet receiving openings extending therethrough. A counterbore surrounds each rivet receiving opening in the flat bottom surface. An ultrasonic riveting apparatus is provided having a clamp member with a cavity, and an ultrasonic horn member having a flat bottom moveably mounted in the cavity. The assembly is mounted in the riveting apparatus and engaged by the clamp member.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting surgical needles in needle parks. The apparatus has a frame, a needle block slidably mounted to the frame, a shuttle member slidably mounted to the frame, and a pick-up head. The needle block has a plurality of guide members spaced apart to receive at least one surgical needle and at least one needle park. The apparatus is used in a method of automatically loading surgical needles into the needle parks of surgical suture packages.

Abstract: A machine and method for loading surgical needles having attached sutures into a package. The machine has a rotating disk mounted to a frame. The disk has circumferential grooves for receiving a suture. The machine has a block slidably mounted to the machine for receiving a needle and transporting it to a motion device. The motion device moves the needle to a package on a packaging machine. Rotation of the package by the packaging machine causes the suture to move out of the grooves and into the package.

Abstract: A machine and process for packaging armed sutures into tray packages. The machine has a frame with a rotatable indexing disc member mounted to the top of the frame. A plurality of tool nests are rotatably mounted to the top of the indexing disc. Tray packages mounted in the toll nests are rotated to wind sutures into a suture channel in the packages. A stylus having a front nose member and a rear heel member guides suture into the suture channel. Channel winding pins in the winding tooling provide for an arranged wind of suture in a suture channel of the tray packages. The machine has an in-line printer and a punching machine for printing and punching paper covers from strips of stock material, which are then mounted to the tray packages.

Abstract: A machine and process for packaging armed sutures into tray packages. The machine has a frame with a rotatable indexing disc member mounted to the top of frame. A plurality of tool nests are rotatably mounted to the top of the indexing disc. Tray packages mounted in the tool nests are rotated to wind sutures into a suture channel in the packages. A stylus having a front nose member and a rear heel member guides suture into the suture channel. Channel winding pins in the winding tooling provide for an arranged wind of suture in a suture channel of the tray packages. The machine has an in-line printer and a punching machine for printing and punching paper covers from strips of stock material, which are then mounted to the tray packages.

Abstract: An apparatus for inserting surgical needles in needle parks. The apparatus has a frame, a needle block slidably mounted to the frame, a shuttle member slidably mounted to the frame, and a pick-up head. The needle block has a plurality of guide members spaced apart to receive at least one surgical needle and at least one needle park. The apparatus is used in a method of automatically loading surgical needles into the needle parks of surgical suture packages.

Abstract: A labyrinth package for sutures. The package has a base member with a top and a bottom. A labyrinth wall member extends from the top of the base member upwardly to form a labyrinth channel. The channel has an open end and a closed end. There is a vacuum opening in the bottom of the channel adjacent to the closed end. A lid is placed on top of the package. The package is loaded with sutures by using a combination of a vacuum source applied to the vacuum opening and a venturi air stream feed.

Abstract: A method of sterilizing absorbable sutures using a sterilant gas such as ethylene oxide gas. The method utilizes a first degassing step, and a second degassing step at elevated temperatures to remove residual sterilant gas, diluent gas, by-products and moisture.

Abstract: An aqueous slurry for manufacturing water soluble or dispersible paper for use in medical device packaging. The slurry has a solid component consisting of methylcellulose and paper pulp. The slurry also has a liquid component consisting of water and an alkylalcohol. The methylcellulose remains in a substantially undissolved state in the aqueous slurry.

Abstract: A method for making a suture package includes injection molding a shallow polymer tray for holding a suture. Fenestrations formed in a substantially flat floor area of the package cause the package to lay flat by interrupting material stresses set up by, e.g., differential cooling during injection molding.

Abstract: Automated packaging of surgical needle-suture assemblies includes a framing operation in which adjacent sheets of polymer coated aluminum foils are conveyed through a sequence of steps in an apparatus which produces frames containing plastic packets of needle-suture assemblies. A vision system having video cameras connected to a specially adapted computer enables monitoring the product traveling through the framing operation to detect various defects in the foil and in the product formation. Upon detection of a defect, the computer system can either identify and separate rejected product from good product or shut down the apparatus.

Abstract: A package for sutures having a winding channel. The package has a base member and a cover member that is mounted to the base member. A plurality of cantilieverd doors cover the winding channel.

Abstract: A surgical cord comprising a interlocking multifilament sheath and an interlocked multifilament core. The interlocking multifilament core construction is characterized by being braided or knitted; preferred are braided cores with a pick counts ranging between 5 and 40.

Abstract: A suture package includes a base panel with a needle park and a plurality of pockets having plural compartments stacked in the Z direction. The package is suitable for containing and dispensing a plurality of double-armed sutures during time-critical surgery and promotes tangle-free dispensing by winding the sutures through the compartments in a serpentine manner to avoid suture-to-suture interaction. Spatial separation of the needles in the needle park and color coding of the sutures allows for easy identification of the individual sutures during dispensing and when tying off the sutures during surgery.

Abstract: A process for applying a biobarrier member to a vent opening in a foil member used for medical device packaging. The process provides for cutting a biobarrier member from a roll of stock and sealing the biobarrier member about the vent opening in the foil member. The seal is tested for integrity and the biobarrier member is tested for porosity.

Abstract: A package for a surgical suture reel. The package has a substantially flat base member with a mounting tab formed therein by an arcuate slit. The mounting tab has a central opening and a plurality of radial slits surrounding the opening forming engagement members.

Abstract: A suture package having a shallow polymer tray for holding an armed suture has a substantially flat floor area, an exterior surface of which defines at least a portion of a rear surface of the package. A front cover forms a front surface of the package and a needle park is disposed on the floor area for holding a surgical needle of the armed suture. The floor area has a window therethrough proximate the needle park. The front cover terminates proximate the needle park to provide an access opening to the needle. The window and the access opening permit the needle to be grasped by a needle holder and to be withdrawn from the package. Because the package has an opening on both the front and rear surfaces for viewing and removing the needle, curved needles may be stored therein in a conventional orientation, i.e., to serve right-handed physicians while at the same time accommodating dispensing from the rear to provide a suitable needle orientation for use by left-handed surgeons.

Abstract: A package for a suture anchor and attached suture. The package has on a top side a suture channel covered by door members. The bottom side of the package has a suture anchor mounting chamber and channel as well as a needle park for surgical needles.