BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a suture locking device for locking a suture in treatment and a method of locking a thread using this suture locking device.

2. Description of the Related Art

US 2007/0270907A1 discloses a suture locking device for locking a suture during treatment. This suture locking device is provided with an outer locking member, an inner locking member movable in a direction along a longitudinal axis relative to the outer locking member, and a cable (wire member) having its distal end connected to the inner locking member. Further, the inner locking member is formed with an inner cavity. This inner cavity opens to an outside of the inner locking member at a distal opening on the distal surface of the inner locking member and an outer peripheral opening on the outer peripheral surface of the inner locking member. A thread (suture) having sutured living tissues etc. is inserted into the inner cavity of the inner locking member from the distal opening and drawn out of the inner locking member from the inner cavity through the outer peripheral opening. The cable is then pulled toward the proximal side with the thread running through the inner cavity, and the inner locking member is inserted into the outer locking member. Portion of the thread extending from the outer peripheral opening is thereby interposed between the outer peripheral surface of the inner locking member and the inner peripheral surface of the outer locking member. Sandwiching the thread between the inner locking member and the outer locking member locks the thread by the friction between the thread and the inner locking member and the friction between the thread and the outer locking member. The thread is thus fixed to the inner locking member and the outer locking member.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, a suture locking device including: a pressing tube extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal side to a distal side, a hollow portion being formed inside the pressing tube; and a locking member having elasticity, the locking member including: a loop portion forming a proximal end of the locking member, and formed in an α-shape when viewed from a width direction intersecting with a direction along the longitudinal axis; a first extension extending from the loop portion towards the distal side, and including a distal end formed by one extension end of the locking member; and a second extension extending from the loop portion towards the distal side, and including a distal end formed by another extension end of the locking member, the second extension forming an intersection portion that intersects with the first extension at a distal end of the loop portion when viewed from the width direction, the loop portion being configured to be inserted into the hollow portion from the distal side towards the proximal side along the longitudinal axis with the thread being inserted through an inner space surrounded by the loop portion, and the pressing tube being configured to press the loop portion to an inner peripheral side of the pressing tube towards the longitudinal axis, so that the thread is pulled from the proximal side towards the intersection portion in the inner space of the loop portion and the thread is locked to the loop portion.

According to one another aspect of the invention, a method of locking a thread using a suture locking device, the suture locking device including, a pressing tube extending along a longitudinal axis from a proximal side to a distal side, a hollow portion being formed inside the pressing tube, a locking member having elasticity, and extending in an α-shape when viewed from a width direction intersecting with a direction along the longitudinal axis, a loop portion forming a proximal end of the locking member, and formed in a ring-shape when viewed from the width direction, a first extension extending from the loop portion to the distal side in the locking member, and including a distal end formed by one extension end of the locking member, and a second extension extending from the loop portion to the distal side in the locking member, and including a distal end formed by another extension end of the locking member, the second extension forming an intersection portion intersecting with the first extension at a distal end of the loop portion when viewed from the width direction, the method including: inserting the thread into an inner space surrounded by the loop portion with the loop portion protruding from a distal end of the pressing tube to the distal side; inserting the loop portion into the hollow portion of the pressing tube from the distal side towards the proximal side along the longitudinal axis with the thread inserted into the inner space of the loop portion, and pressing the loop portion to an inner peripheral side of the pressing tube towards the longitudinal axis by the pressing tube; and moving the locking member to the proximal side in the hollow portion with the thread inserted into the inner space of the loop portion, and pulling the thread from the proximal side towards the intersection portion in the inner space of the loop portion.

Advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.

