Surgical needle apparatus
United States Patent 11 Hardwick [451 Apr. 29, 1975 i 1 SURGICAL NEEDLE APPARATUS {76] Inventor: Charles W. Hardwick. 600 W. 27th St.. Sanford. Fla. 3277i [22] Filed: Jan. 28. I974 [2i] Appl. No.: 437.002  
 152] U.S. Cl nil/339: mil/33) [5|] Int. Cl Ablh 17/06 I58] Field of Search Ell/339. 334. 335.5. 340. Bil/326. 330; Ill/2Z2. 2201223/l02. [033 339/248 S, 258 RR. 266 R. 373. 276 R; 24/l29 W-l3l R. 138.255 R. 255 T2. 259  
 |56| References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 324.030 8/1885 Kratz Bil/339 l.-)60.ll7 5/1934 Lydcard Dbl/339 3.043.902 7/l962 Klein 34/137 R Primary litumincr-Richard A. Gaudet Assistant Examiner-Rick Opitz Attorney. Agent. or FirmDuckworth Hobby &amp; Allen l57| ABSTRACT A surgical needle apparatus having an elongated metal body tapered at one end and having a suture material holding means at the opposite end. The opposite end is split with the end of the split formed into gripping jaws for gripping suture material. and the split portions have raised areas between the end of the split so that compressing the non-raised area together will force the raised area in the split to force the gripping jaws to open for inserting and removing suture material.  
 ] Claim. 6 Drawing Figures SURGICAL NEEDLE APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a reusable surgical sewing needle and especially to such a needle which may be easily connected and disconnected from suturing material with the use of surgical forceps.  
  In the past it has been common to provide a great variety of suturing needles. one of the most common types being a non-reusable needle which comes complete with suturing material attached thereto and which is thrown away after the needle has been used. This type of needle is purchased sterilized and has many advantages. but is expensive inasmuch as both suture material and a stainless steel needle are being disposed of. There have also been a great variety of suggestions for providing surgical needles and having means for attaching suture material without leaving a knot or other enlarged areas at the blunt end of the needle to interfere with the passage of the needle and suture material through the tissue being sewn. Typical of the prior art needles considered most pertinent to the present invention are U.S. Pat. No. 2.240.330 for a Surgical Needle adapted to have suture material attached in a variety of ways including clamping of suture material to a connector which is connected to the needle. U.S. Pat. No. L98 1 .651 has a threaded attachment which is removed for passing the suture material through and knotting prior to reattaching to the needle. U.S. Pat. No. 2.023.807 has a standard eye passing through the needle which is slotted to the end for twisting suture material into the slotted bore in the end of the needle. U.S. Pat. No. 2,7l5.486 teaches a Fast-Threading Needle with Trailing Flexible Link which provides means for engaging a looper end onto a needle. U.S. Pat. No. 3.592.l96 teaches a Surgical Needle with Suture- Retaining Means. while U.S. Pat. No. 3.074.409 teaches a Surgical Needle for Medical Purposes having a curved slotted area for attaching suture material. The Surgical Needle in U.S. Pat. No. 3.249.l04 has a pinned portion for allowing gripping jaws to be lifted.  
 and then locked in place with the suture material attached. U.S. Pat. No. 965.2l9 has a quick threading surgical needle with a pair of slots for engaging the suture material. and the needle in U.S. Pat. No. l.l3l.l55 has gripping surfaces inside a slotted bore.  
  The present needle provides a reusable surgical needle in which the suture material can be quickly connected and disconnected to the blunt end of a needle without providing a raised surface such as found in a knotted connection in the usual manner to a needle eye. This present needle facilitates rapid and easy loading of the needle while holding the suture material securely to the needle.  
 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a surgical needle having an elongated metal or stainless steel body having a tapered end portion and a blunt end portion or suture material holding end. The suture material holding end has been split a portion of the way into the needle. and each side of the split being shaped with matching pairs of concave surfaces joined by a pair of convex surfaces therebetween with the tip of the blunt end having a pair of gripping jaws for gripping the end of suture material. Thus. a pair of forceps can be used to compress the split portion of the needle having concave surfaces forcing the convex surfaces therebetween together and lifting the gripping jaws of the needle as well as the area between the remaining concave surfaces for inserting or removing suture material.  
 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING Other objects. features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from a study of the written description and the drawings in which:  
  FIG. I shows a perspective view ofa needle in accordance with the present invention with a piece of suturing material ready for insertion;  
  FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the blunt end of the needle prior to inserting the suture material;  
  FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the needle having the suture material attached;  
  FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the suture material attaching portion of the needle;  
  FIG. 5 is a side sectional view as shown in FIG. 4 but held by needle clamp during insertion of a piece of suture material; and  
  FIG. 6 is a side sectional view of the suture material securing portion of the needle engaging a piece of suturing material.  
 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawing. FIG. 1 illustrates an arcuate surgical needle 10 in accordance with the present invention having a tapered end 11 and a piece of suture material holding end 12 having a blunt tip I3. The end l2 has a split 14 running from the blunt end 12 into the needle body l0 and includes a pair of curved suture material gripping jaws 15 which touch at either side 16. Gripping surface 15 may be a sharp surface for engaging suture material being inserted. but could also be ridged or other surfaces for engaging different types of suturing material. The split area I4 has a pair of concave surfaces 17 and a second pair of concave surfaces 18 connected by a pair of convex surfaces 20. That is the split portion 14 has portions re moved at 17 and 18 or alternatively a raised portion 20 and a piece of suturing material 21 is illustrated ready for insertion into the needle. It should be noted that in curved needles the split runs perpendicular to the curvature of the needles to prevent disengagement of the suture material during use since forceps are used during the suturing operation with the needle being gripped between the concave and convex sides thereof.  
  Turning to FIGS. 2 and 3, the operation of the needle 10 is more clearly illustrated with a pair of needle clamps or surgical forceps 22 compressing split portions 23 of the blunt end portion 12 together directly over concave surfaces I7, thus driving the convex surfaces 20 together and forcing the jaws 15 to separate along with separating the concave surfaces I8, thus allowing the suturing material 21 to be inserted into the jaws l5 and the forceps 22 released so that the jaws clamp down on the suturing material and hold it in place as illustrated in FIG. 3. This type of suture material can be utilized equally well with a curved or arcuate needle as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 or with a straight needle as more clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4 through 6 in which the blunt end l2 of the suturing needle IO has the same curved surfaces 17 from the removal of material in a split 14 which forms a pair of split portions 23 in the raised area or convex surfaces I4 flowing into a second pair of concave or arcuate surfaces 18 which have had material removed from the portion 23 which in turn end in a pair of gripping jaws 15 at the blunt end l3 of the needle 10 so that the forceps 22 of FIG. 2 can open the jaws by the compression over the open area formed by the surfaces l7 which allows the force to be applied to the raised areas 14 to lift the jaws 15. The suture material 2] is then held h the spring action of the portions 23 and separates the raised portions [4 from each other. The suture material is released in a similar manner upon the completion of the sewing operation.  
  It should be clear at this point that a reusable surgical needle has been provided which may be made of stainless steel and maybe used with a great variety of suture materials including stainless steel. silk. cottons. or syn&#39; thetics as desired. and that the concave and convex surfaces can he varied in shape as can he gripping jaws without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly. this invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed Ill till  
 herein since these are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.  
 I claim:  
  I. A surgical needle comprising an elongated arcuate stainless steel body having a tapered end portion and a flat blunt end portion; said blunt end having an clon gated split extending axially from the flat tip thereof, each side of said split being shaped with matching pairs of concave surfaces joined by a convex surface therebetween and gripping jaws adjacent the tip of the blunt end and adjacent to and intersecting one pair of concave surfaces for holding suture material, said elongated split bcing perpendicular to the concave and convex curvature of said needle body. whereb compress ing one pair of concave surfaces towards each other will compress convex surfaces together along their curvature and open said gripping jaws to engage or release suture material, and said gripping jaws having sharpened curved edges arced between edges of each said side of said blunt end split opening for biting and holding stainless steel suture material.