SUTURE CUTTER

摘要

A suture cutter which is adapted to clamp, sever and cauterize a thermoplastic suture (86). The suture cutter includes a housing (10) having an electrical power source (34) located in the housing (10) and a trigger (26) attached to the housing (10) having open and closed positions. A suture clamp (88, 90) is attached to the housing (10) and includes a stationary jaw (88) and a pivotal jaw (90). A radiant heating element (60) is adjacent to the suture clamp (88, 90). An actuator (94) connects the trigger (26) to the pivotal jaw (90) and electrical circuitry (54, 56, 58) joins the power source (34) to the radiant heating element (60). Closing of the trigger (26) first closes the pivotal jaw (90) against the stationary jaw (88) to hold a suture (86), and then completes the circuitry to sever and cauterize the suture with radiant heat.