KYUSHU UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY CORPORATION;佐久間特殊鋼株式会社;AKIYAMA MEDICAL CO., LTD.;株式会社秋山製作所;SAKUMA SPECIAL STEEL CO., LTD.;YOSHIMI INC.;株式会社吉見製作所;国立大学法人九州大学
A suture needle (10) for endoscopic surgery includes an arcuate needle body (1) and a suture thread (90). The needle body (1) and the suture thread (90) are coupled together using a coupler (2). The needle body (1) is formed from a shape-memory alloy. The coupler (2) is formed from a material (such as an austenitic stainless steel) different from the needle body (1). The method of use is as follows. The needle body (1) is cooled to a temperature less than a prescribed temperature, and in this state the needle body (1) is deformed into an annular shape. The annular suture needle (10) is fed into the abdominal cavity of a patient through a trocar (50). Since the temperature inside the abdomen (P) of the patient is at least equal to the prescribed temperature, the needle body (1) is restored to the arcuate shape in the abdominal cavity by virtue of the characteristics of the shape-memory alloy. When tissue inside the abdominal cavity has been sutured using the arcuate needle body (1) and the suture thread (90), the suture needle (10) is withdrawn to the outside of the patient's body through the trocar (50). Since the coupler (2) does not comprise a shape-memory alloy, the shape of the coupler (2) does not change even when the needle body (1) is restored to the arcuate shape, and the coupler (2) thus firmly couples the needle body (1) to the suture thread (90).La présente invention concerne une aiguille de suture (10) destinée à une chirurgie endoscopique qui comprend un corps (1) d'aiguille arqué et un fil de suture (90). Le corps (1) d'aiguille et le fil de suture (90) sont couplés ensemble à l'aide d'un coupleur (2). Le corps (1) d'aiguille est formé à partir d'un alliage à mémoire de forme. Le coupleur (2) est formé à partir d'un matériau (tel qu'un acier inoxydable austénitique) différent de celui du corps (1) d'aiguille. Le procédé d'utilisation est le suivant. Le corps (1) d'aiguille est refroidi à une température inférieure à une température prédéfinie, et dans
