Method, apparatus and kit for thermal suture cutting

摘要

The suture removal instrument comprises an elongated body (12) having a proximal handle portion and insulated distal portion, a first conductive member (72,74) extending from the insulated distal portion of the elongated body, terminating in a wedge-shaped tip, a resistive heating element (76) extending alongside the first conductive member and affixed at its distal end to the wedge-shaped tip, conduction means for supplying power to the heating element, activation means (58) for controlling the supply of power to the heating element and circuitry (200) for providing power to the heating element as pulses of high current of a predetermined duration.