Reel-label for small diameter sutures

Claim 1

A surgical suture package comprising a sealed, sterile envelope having therein in sterile configuration a needled surgical suture on a reel-label, wherein the improvement comprises: a one piece six panel reel-label of stiff sterilizable label stock consisting essentially of a bottom fold panel, a pocket panel, a top fold panel, a reel panel, a rear panel, and a face panel, said bottom fold panel being short and attached to the bottom of said pocket panel, and folded along a score line to enclose the bottom of said reel panel, said pocket panel being smaller than and attached to one side of said reel panel, and folded and held thereagainst by said bottom fold panel to form a needle pocket, said top fold panel being short and attached to the top of the reel panel, and folded against the reel panel, said back panel being attached to, larger than, and folded against the reel panel and needle holding pocket, said face panel being attached to, essentially the same size as, and folded towArds the rear panel to enclose therebetween the reel panel, pocket panel, and top and bottom fold panels, said face panel having a diagonal cut therein to form a holding tongue, said rear panel having a second diagonal cut therein to form a holding slit, said holding tongue and holding slit being in interengaging relationship to hold the face panel and rear panel adjacent, and releasably closed, and a surgical suture having a surgical needle attached thereto wound about the reel panel, the top fold panel and bottom fold panel, with the needle enclosed in the pocket formed by the pocket panel, reel panel, and bottom fold panel, thus protecting the suture from the armed edges of the needle, said reel-label being particularly adapted for very fine sutures, by having the suture wrapped over folded rather than cut edges.