JP3924067B2 - Suture package - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a suture package, and more particularly to a suture package that can be easily opened with one hand and exposed for removal of a suture end or suture needle.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Sutures used in surgery are supplied in various packaging forms. Among the conventional ones, a type in which a suture is wrapped around a mount, and a case in which a suture is wound in a flat bag and accommodated in a figure 8 shape is made of a single yarn of nylon, polypropylene or other synthetic resin. In the case of a suture thread, there is a problem that curling folds are easily attached throughout the entire length of the thread. On the other hand, as a method of wrapping with the suture stretched as much as possible, a holding portion with a sufficient space above and below is provided on the package, and the suture is held in a stretched state as much as possible. Various packages (straight packages) have been proposed and widely used, which reduce the amount of sticking and in particular have no risk of wrinkling about 10 cm from the tip. As an example thereof, US Pat. No. 5,582,288 discloses a package that holds sutures by two rows of holding members at the upper stage of the package and one row of holding members at the lower stage of the package. U.S. Pat. No. 3,985,227 also discloses a package having holding means in two rows of upper and lower stages. Further, US Pat. No. 5,101,968 discloses a package in which the suture is packaged while being stretched over its entire length in FIGS. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,623 discloses a package for holding sutures at two locations by upper and lower holding members. Other similar packages are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 5,127,518 and 4,014,434.
[0003]
The suture is removed from these packages immediately before use in the operating room. The removal is performed by opening the lid portion of the package covering the suture needle (or the end of the suture thread) and pulling the exposed suture needle with a needle holder. Since surgery is highly invasive to the patient, it is preferable that the operation time be short, and operations such as taking out the suture from the package should be as simple as possible.
[0004]
However, all of the conventional straight packages are of the type in which the perforation that closes the lid portion of the package is opened with both hands, or as the lid portion of the package as conceptually shown in FIG. A structure that is folded “from the side” and covers the suture needle is adopted. The lid of the system of FIG. 1 has a tab at the tip, and is held in a closed state by being inserted into a slit on the package body side. In the case of such a lid structure, in order to open the lid, it was necessary to hold the package body with one hand and pinch the lid with the other hand. If you try to push up the lid with the finger of the hand holding the package body without doing so, even if you can open the lid, there is a high risk that the needle tip will pierce the finger in the middle For this reason, it was common to use both hands when opening the lid of the package. Therefore, to remove the suture, first hold the package with one hand, open the lid with the other hand, and then hold the package body with one hand and move the other hand away from the lid to remove the needle holder. Then, it was taken out by pinching the needle tip with a needle holder. Such a procedure that requires both hands to open the lid of the package, and therefore has to change the container in the middle of the removal of the suture, was troublesome in the situation of surgery. It was not fully recognized and not improved.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of these conventional suture packages, and to provide a suture package that can hold the package with one hand and easily and safely open the lid with the same hand. .
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a package comprising a folded unitary sheet for a surgical suture to which a suture needle may be attached, and a base panel for holding the suture, A cover panel that covers the base panel on the front side of the end of the held suture thread or the suture needle, and a cover panel that covers from the front end region of the cover panel to the front end of the base panel. The cover panel and the lid panel are formed of sheet portions folded in this order onto the base panel from both sides of the base panel, and the closed lid panel is the cover panel and / or Provided is a package that is temporarily fixed to the base panel.
[0007]
In this specification, “the front end region of the cover panel” means a region from the edge on the front end side of the cover panel (the end of the suture thread is seen through this edge) to some front, as described later. The width and contour shape are not particularly limited as long as the tip of the thumb is inserted between the lid panel and the cover panel so that there is no possibility that the fingertip touches the tip of the suture needle.
[0008]
Further, in this specification, “temporary fixing” includes all the stoppers that can be easily removed when the tip of the thumb is inserted between the lid panel and the cover panel to open the lid. The edge of the base panel may include a folded portion having a predetermined width that overlaps the folded lid panel or cover panel.
[0009]
In addition, the material of the “sheet” is not particularly limited, and it is a synthetic, semi-finished paper having the same strength and foldable flexibility normally used for suture packages, such as kraft paper, other paper, synthetic paper, and plastic. Various synthetic materials may be used as appropriate.
[0010]
Further, when the sheet is folded, the crease portion may be folded along a single line, or may be folded in a U-shape to increase the thickness.
[0011]
The present invention has such a structure, and unlike the conventional package, the lid panel is folded not from the front end side of the base panel but from the side, so the package front end side is directed forward. If you hold the back with 4 fingers and hold it with one hand, insert the thumb a little between the cover panel and the lid panel, and then move only the thumb toward the fold side of the lid panel. The lid panel can be opened easily and safely. That is, it is not necessary to use both hands as in the conventional package, and the needle holder can be held from the beginning in the free hand. For this reason, since the suture can be taken out immediately after the lid is opened, there is an advantage that handling becomes very easy at the time of surgery.
[0012]
Moreover, the said invention may include the additional panel. In particular, it may have an intermediate panel folded on the base panel from the same side as the lid panel. That is, the present invention further includes an intermediate panel that covers the base panel in front of the lid panel between the base panel and the cover panel, and the intermediate panel further includes the intermediate panel. There is also provided a package comprising a sheet portion folded on the base panel from the same side as the lid panel.
[0013]
In this case, the intermediate panel usually has a width slightly smaller than the width of the base panel so that the cover panel can be easily folded on the intermediate panel, but it does not necessarily need to cover the entire width of the base panel. If there is no possibility of causing a problem such as the suture thread being caught, the shape and size may be appropriate. The intermediate panel has the further advantage of helping to cover and hold the contained suture. In particular, since the stored suture is structured to be wrapped from both sides of the base panel by the intermediate panel and the cover panel, there is no possibility that the suture will protrude from the side of the package due to some elasticity.
[0014]
In each of the above inventions, the shape of the lid panel is not particularly limited as long as it covers the exposed base panel, the suture thread end, and the tip end region of the cover panel. Therefore, the edge on the front side of the lid panel, that is, the edge on the side where the thumb is inserted, has a shape that crosses the package linearly, a shape that crosses diagonally, or a shape that crosses curvedly. Good. However, it is also possible to make the package particularly easy to handle by making the front edge of the lid panel a specific shape.
[0015]
As such an example, the present invention further includes the above-mentioned packages, wherein the front edge of the lid panel is configured to recede toward the front end of the package as it moves away from the connecting portion with the base panel. We also provide packages that are included. In this case, the edge on the near side of the lid panel is located on the most near side at the fold position with the base panel, and is configured to have a contour shape so as to recede toward the front end of the package and move away from the crease. Specific examples of the shape include those in which the edge on the near side of the lid panel is linearly cut obliquely from the crease portion, and those in which the edge is cut so as to be concavely curved. Among these, the shape cut off so as to be obliquely curved is more preferable.
[0016]
This configuration can provide an oblique angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the package when the tip of the thumb is inserted between the edge of the lid panel and the cover panel to facilitate insertion of the tip of the thumb. Furthermore, since the lid panel extends further forward at the connecting portion with the base panel, it is possible to keep the lid panel open by pressing the fold between the lid panel and the base panel during the removal of the suture. It has the further advantage of being particularly easy. Further, this type of package is easier to handle than the other types of packages, even if the same package is held with either hand.
[0017]
Furthermore, the present invention provides each of the above packages, wherein when the package is viewed so that the front end faces upward and faces the cover panel, the lid panel is placed on the base panel from the left side of the base panel. It also provides a package that is folded into
[0018]
In many cases, the right hand is the dominant hand, so the needle holder is often held by the right hand when the suture is taken out. Therefore, the package of the present invention is usually operated with the left hand. In this case, in the above invention in which the lid panel is folded from the left side of the base panel, the package is supported from below by four fingers of the left hand, and the tip of the thumb is slid on the cover panel and inserted under the lid panel. It is particularly convenient to remove the temporary tack and slide it to the crease side to fully open the lid panel.
[0019]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In the above invention, various means can be easily considered for “temporary fixing”. As a typical example, a tab is formed by cutting a part of the edge of the lid panel so as to protrude, while a slit is formed at a corresponding position of the cover panel to close the lid panel. When the tab is inserted into the slit, the engagement can be used to temporarily fix the tab. The tab may be formed by making, for example, a substantially U-shaped cut inside the edge of the lid panel. As another example, a notch in a predetermined direction is provided at the edge of the lid panel, and another notch having a different direction is provided at the edge of the base panel at a position corresponding to the notch when the lid panel is closed. The notches may be engaged with each other. Such a cut may be provided at an appropriate position on the edge of the lid panel, and may be provided in a portion corresponding to the fold between the base panel and the cover panel and the base panel. As yet another example, the cover panel may be made larger and the portion protruding from the base panel when the cover is closed is folded into the back surface of the base panel.
[0020]
The means for holding the suture is not particularly limited as long as it holds the suture so that the end of the suture can be seen from the cover panel so as to be suitable for the present invention having the above structure. In the case of the straight package described above, usually, a suture thread (suture needle) is sandwiched between an appropriate part near the tip of the base panel and an appropriate part near the base of the base panel so as to be detachable. An appropriate holder can be provided. Such a holder can be further provided at an intermediate portion according to the length of the suture thread, and two or more of one or both of the upper and lower holders may be provided. Various structures can be conceived as such a holder itself, but as a typical example, foamed plastic pieces, such as foamed polystyrene and foamed polyurethane, having a predetermined number of slits inserted at predetermined intervals are fixed to the base panel. Things. The slits are useful for holding the suture removably.
[0021]
【Example】
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically by way of typical examples. However, the present invention is not intended to be limited by these examples.
[0022]
2 to 4 show a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a development view of the package 1. In the figure, 3 is a base panel, 5 is a cover panel, 7 is a lid panel, and 9 is an intermediate panel. These panels are made of one cut sheet, and a package is formed by being folded along broken lines shown between the panels in the figure. That is, in this embodiment, the intermediate panel 9 is first folded on the base panel, the cover panel 5 is folded thereon, and finally the lid panel 7 is folded on the base panel and the front end side region of the cover panel. A folding flap 11 extends from the base panel 3 and is folded on the base panel 3 before the lid panel 7. The flap 11 can provide reinforcement of the tip of the base panel 3, but it is not necessarily provided.
[0023]
The base panel 3 is a panel that holds the suture 12. Various means can be used for holding, but in this embodiment, the distal end side holder 15 and the root side holder 17 fixed to the base panel 3 are configured to hold the suture. As shown in the figure, the front end of the cover panel 5 is on the front side of the position of the holder 15 on the front end side. Therefore, when the cover panel 5 is closed, the suture end (or suture needle) held by the holder 15 is The cover panel 5 is not covered.
[0024]
The holders 15 and 17 are columnar pieces made of, for example, foamed polyurethane, and a plurality of slits 19 are formed on the front side, and a plurality of sutures 12 are sandwiched and held therebetween. For example, one end of the suture (or the vicinity of the joint portion of the attached suture needle 14) is sandwiched and held in the slit 19 of the holder 15 on the distal end side, and the suture is extended and sandwiched in the slit 19 of the lower holder 17 Further, the direction is changed to the end of the package at the base end, and the same slit 19 of the holder 17 is again passed in the opposite direction and held, and finally the end is held again by being held by the same slit 19 of the holder 15. Is done. In the figure, the holders are each one row, but two or more rows may be provided, respectively, or a holder may be further provided at the intermediate portion according to the length of the suture thread. Further, as shown in the figure, if the holder 15 on the front end side is provided slightly obliquely and the slit 19 is provided in parallel with the longitudinal direction of the package 1, a plurality of sutures are juxtaposed in stages. Becomes easier. Note that the suture thread may have suture needles attached to both ends or one end thereof.
[0025]
A tab 23 is formed on the lid panel 7, which serves to temporarily fix the lid panel 7 in a predetermined position by being inserted into a slit 25 that comes to a corresponding position when the package 1 is assembled. . The lid panel is further provided with a cut 31, and the base panel 3 (including the flap 11) is provided with a cut 33 having a different angle from the cut 31 at a position corresponding to the cut 31 when the package is assembled. ing. These cuts are used to engage each other and temporarily fix the lid panel 7 to the base panel 3 as will be described later. The combination of the tab 23 and the slit 25 and the pair of cuts 31 and 33 are not necessarily provided at the same time, and the lid panel 7 can be formed only by the tab 23 and the slit 25 or only by the pair of cuts 23 and 25. It may be temporarily fixed.
[0026]
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the first embodiment with the package closed. As shown in the figure, the lid 23 is kept closed by inserting the tab 23 into the slit 25. Further, the cut 31 at the edge of the lid panel 7 and the cut 33 at the edge of the base panel 3 are engaged with each other, and the front end side of the package 1 is also temporarily fixed. The lid panel 7 is maintained in the closed state by these temporary fixing mechanisms. If the cover panel 7 is lifted lightly, the tabs 23 come out of the slits 25 and the engagement between the cuts 31 and 33 is released, so that the lid panel 7 is easily opened.
[0027]
On the other hand, an appropriate means may be used to hold the folded edge 35 of the cover panel 5 on the base panel 3, but in the drawing, the engagement of the cuts 31 and 33 used for temporarily fixing the lid panel 7 is shown. Similar meshing 32, 34 is used. One or more such engagements may be provided at appropriate positions on the edge 35 or 37. Similarly, a tab may be provided on the edge of the cover panel 5 and a slit may be provided at a corresponding position on the intermediate panel 9 as used for temporarily fixing the lid panel 7. When fixing permanently, you may use adhesion | attachment and other conventional means, for example, you may stick a label and a tape so that the cover panel 5 and the base panel 3 may be straddled. When the cover panel 5 is fixed on the base panel 3 with a tape or the like, the intermediate panel 9 that can prevent the suture from protruding or the like can be omitted, and instead of the intermediate panel 9, a cover is attached to the edge of the base panel. You may provide the folding | turning part contact | abutted with a panel.
[0028]
FIG. 4 specifically shows the function of the cuts 31 and 33 used for temporarily fixing the lid panel 7. FIG. A is a perspective view from the front end side of the package 1, showing a state just before the lid panel 7 is closed on the base panel 3. The slits 33 in the flap 11 shown in FIG. 1 are overlapped by folding the flap 11 on the surface of the base panel 3 to form a linear slit shown in FIG. FIG. B is an enlarged view of the cover panel 7 and the base panel (including the flap 11 therebetween) viewed from the same angle in a state where they are overlapped. In this state, the panel panel 7 positioned between the two cuts 31 and 33 is temporarily warped by temporarily shifting the lid panel 7 to the base panel 3 side on the right side of the cut 31 in a superimposed state. Passing through each other, the state moves to the intricate state shown in the diagram C and is locked together. This provides a temporary stop for both panels. Both panels locked in this way can be easily unlocked through a temporary deformation of the interlaced area by a light external force in the direction of peeling them.
[0029]
Since the first embodiment has such a structure, it is held with one hand as shown in FIG. 5 and the thumb is inserted under the lid panel 7 to connect the lid panel 7 and the base panel 3. The lid panel 7 can be easily opened by simply sliding it on the cover panel to the 41 side.
[0030]
2 to 4 of the first embodiment may be reversed right and left, and the lid panel in FIG. 5 can be similarly opened with the right hand.
[0031]
FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the present invention, which differs from the first embodiment only in the shape of the lower edge 39 of the lid panel. The other reference numerals correspond to those in FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the edge 39 on the near side of the lid panel 7 recedes in the leading end direction of the package 1, that is, upward in the drawing as it moves away from the connecting portion 41 with the base panel 3, and is oblique to the longitudinal direction of the package 1 Provides an angle. The edge 39 may be straight, but particularly preferred is a shape that is concavely curved as shown in the figure. The slanted edge 39 makes it easier to insert the thumb under the lid panel 7. When the package is held as shown in FIG. 7, the joint between the edge 39 of the lid panel 7 and the base panel 3 enters deeper into the front side than the middle part of the edge 39 of the lid panel 7, that is, the thumb side. Therefore, it is extremely easy to maintain the open state by pressing the vicinity of the creases of both panels with the thumb after the lid panels are opened. In this embodiment, the left and right sides may be reversed as in the first embodiment. However, the needle holder is usually held in the right hand during surgery, and therefore the package of the present invention is often held in the left hand when the suture is taken out. It is. In addition, such a package is covered with the thumb because the base of the edge 39 is closer to the front than in FIG. 3 even if the person holding the needle holder in the left hand holds the package with the right hand. It is easier to open the panel 7.
[0032]
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the package 1 for illustrating an example of the temporary fixing means other than the above. In the figure, reference numeral 50 denotes an extended portion of the lid panel 7, and the lid panel 7 is held in a closed state by simply being folded along the fold line 52 indicated by a broken line to the back surface of the base panel 3. Again, the lid panel can be easily opened in the same manner as shown in FIG.
[0033]
【The invention's effect】
The package of the present invention can hold the package with only one hand while holding the package with one hand and open the lid to expose the end of the suture, thus facilitating the removal of the suture during surgery. .
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view conceptually showing a conventional type package.
FIG. 2 is a development view of the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the package of the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a mechanism of one means of temporary fixing.
FIG. 5 is a plan view showing a state in which the lid panel is to be opened in the second embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of a second embodiment.
FIG. 7 is a plan view showing a state in which the lid panel is to be opened in the second embodiment.
FIG. 8 is a plan view showing another means for temporary fixing.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 = package, 3 = base panel, 5 = cover panel, 7 = lid panel, 9 = intermediate panel, 11 = flap, 12 = suture, 14 = suture needle, 15 = holder, 17 = holder, 19 = slit, 23 = tab, 25 = slit, 31-34 = cut, 35, 37, 39 = edge, 41 = connecting edge of the lid panel to the base panel, 52 = fold of the lid panel

Claims (6)

A package of folded, integral sheets for a surgical suture to which a suture needle may be attached, the base panel for holding the suture and the held suture end or suture needle exposed A cover panel that covers the base panel on the front side of the cover panel, and a cover panel that covers from the front end region of the cover panel to the front end of the base panel, the cover panel and the cover panel including the cover panel It consists of a sheet portion folded in this order onto the base panel from both sides of the base panel, and the closed lid panel is temporarily fixed to the cover panel and / or the base panel. An intermediate panel that covers the base panel on the front side of the lid panel between the base panel and the cover panel, and the intermediate panel is connected to the lid panel. Flip is made from folded sheet portion on the base panel from the side, the package. Front edge of the lid panel, those having a shape retracted toward the leading end of the package with increasing distance from the connection portion between the base panel, a package according to claim 1. When the distal end side viewed the package to face the cover panel upward, the lid panel, in which are folded into said base panel from the left side of the base panel, according to claim 1 or 2 packages. The temporary fixing includes: (a) engagement between a tab formed on the lid panel and a slit formed at a corresponding position of the cover panel; (b) a notch formed on an edge of the lid panel; Meshing with an edge or an incision of another angle formed at a corresponding position of the edge formed by a crease between the cover panel and the base panel, and (c) folding the edge of the lid panel into the back surface of the base panel; it is what is done by means selected from the group consisting of, either a package of claims 1 to 3. The base panel further includes a holder that can removably hold a suture thread to which a suture needle can be attached, on the tip side and the base side of the base panel, respectively. one of the package of claims 1 to 4. The package according to claim 5 , wherein the holder is made of a foamed plastic piece fixed to the base panel, with a slit for sandwiching a suture needle or suture.

Images