Surgical suture extractor

Claim 2

An instrument for removing sutures comprising: a. a slender elongated outer tubular member to be grasped by the hand, and having at its outer open end an angular projection overlying said outer end for supporting the suture during cutting and removal thereof; b. said projection including a back-up member; c. a single-piece inner, elongated member fitted to slide axially within said outer member; d. said inner member carrying a knife at its outer end to cooperate with said back-up member in severing the suture; e. said outer member having an opening for exposing a portion of said inner member and said inner member having a gripping surface aligned with the opening for contact by a finger of the hand, including the thumb, to produce axial sliding of the inner member relative to the outer member; and f. said outer tubular member having a flat, hollow, diametrically opposed, tapered outer end terminating in said angular projection.

Claim 3

An instrument for removing suTures according to claim 1 in which the backup member has a cutting edge, and the knife on the inner member cooperates in shear with said cutting edge in severing the suture.

Claim 4

An instrument for removing sutures according to claim 1 wherein, a. said inner member has a reduced portion at its outer end, one side thereof being parallel with the adjacent inner surface of said hollow tapered portion and the opposite side thereof is parallel with the axis of said instrument and supports said cutting knife; b. a surface of said backup member is parallel to the axis of the instrument, and in order to maintain said knife in cooperation with said surface, a reaction member is provided on the inner surface of said outer member for cooperation with said axially parallel surface of said inner member.

Claim 5

An instrument according to claim 1 wherein said outer end is at an acute angle to said backup member and said knife has a cutting edge at some angle different than said outer end.

Claim 6

An instrument for removing sutures according to claim 1 wherein: a. said inner member is wholly contained within said outer member with the gripping surface recessed in the opening of the outer member.

Claim 7

An instrument for removing sutures comprising: a. a slender elongated outer tubular member to be grasped by the hand, and having at its outer open end an angular projection overlying said outer end for supporting the suture during cutting and removal thereof; b. said projection including a backup member; c. a single piece inner elongated member fitted to slide axially within said outer member; d. said inner member carrying a knife at its outer end to cooperate with said backup member in severing the suture; e. a deformable member arranged on the outer end of said inner member alongside of said knife, said deformable member when in the undeformed condition extending beyond the knife edge and forcing the suture against said backup member to grip the suture during and after the severing thereof to enable removal of the suture; and f. said outer member having an opening for exposing a portion of said inner member and said inner member having a gripping surface aligned with the opening for contact by any finger of the hand, including the thumb, to produce axial sliding of the inner member relative to the outer member.

Claim 8

An instrument for removing sutures comprising: a. a slender elongated outer tubular member to be grasped by the hand, and having at its outer open end an angular projection overlying said outer end for supporting the suture during cutting and removal thereof; b. said projection including a backup member; c. a single piece inner elongated member fitted to slide axially within said outer member; d. said inner member carrying a knife at its outer end to cooperate with said backup member in severing the suture; e. a deformable member arranged on the outer end of said inner member alongside of said knife, said deformable member when in the undeformed condition extending beyond the knife edge and forcing the suture against said backup member to grip the suture during and after the severing thereof to enable removal of the suture; and f. said outer member having an opening for exposing a portion of said inner member and said inner member having a gripping surface aligned with the opening for contact by any finger of the hand, including the thumb, to produce axial sliding of the inner member relative to the outer member.

Claim 9

An instrument for removing sutures according to claim 6 wherein said deformable member is integral with said inner member.

Claim 10

An instrument for removing sutures according to claim 7 in which said knife is integral with said inner member.

Claim 11

An instrument for removing sutures comprising: a. a slender elongated outer tubular member to be grasped by the hand, and having at its outer open end an angular projection overlying said outer end for supporting the suture during cutting and removal thereof; b. said projection including a backup member; c. a single piece inner elongated member fitted to slide axially within said outer member; d. said inner member carrying a knife at its outer end to cooperate with said backup member in severing the suture; e. said outer member having an opening for exposing a portion of said inner member and said inner member having a gripping surface aligned with the opening for contact by any finger of the hand, including the thumb, to produce axial sliding of the inner member relative to the outer member; and f. said outer member defining a flat tubular, diametrically opposed tapered outer end with planar surfaces on opposite sides of the knife tapering toward said outer end.

Claim 12

An instrument for removing sutures comprising: a. a slender elongated outer tubular member to be grasped by the hand, and having at its outer open end an angular projection overlying said outer end for supporting the suture during cutting and removal thereof; b. said projection including a backup member; c. a single piece inner elongated member fitted to slide axially within said outer member; d. said inner member carrying a knife at its outer end to cooperate with said backup member in severing the suture; e. said outer member having an opening for exposing a portion of said inner member and said inner member having a gripping surface aligned with the opening for contact by any finger of the hand, including the thumb, to produce axial sliding of the inner member relative to the outer member; and f. said outer member defining a flat tubular, diametrically opposed tapered outer end with planar surfaces on opposite sides of the knife tapering toward said outer end.