Featured is a package or carrier for releasably holding any of a number of medical devices including a rigid member that is interconnected to a flexible member such as suture-needle combinations. The package includes a support unit having a long axis, which support unit is configured so as to include a handle/cover member, a face cover member, a stationary panel, a plurality of folding panels, and a plurality (i.e., two or more) of securing members that releasably secure or retain portions of the medical device and/or portions of the interconnected flexible member to the package. The handle/cover member is foldable in either of two positions. In the first position a part of the handle/cover member covers a portion of the stationary panel that is not covered by the face cover member. In the second position, this portion of the stationary panel becomes uncovered to expose the medical devices that are secured therein and. When the handle cover member is folded into the second position, it also is relocated so as to create a handle for the package and so a portion of the rigid member extends beyond an edge of the open package. The support unit can further include thereon a mounting member to releasably retain the rigid member. Also featured are medical device kits embodying such a package, a method for dispensing medical devices or sutures using such a package and methods related thereto.

A packing and storing receptacle includes a bottom panel and a top panel superposed on the bottom panel and defining a pouch therewith for receiving at least a longitudinal part of the contents. The bottom and top panels are formed by a single, flexible sheet and are separated from one another by a transverse folding edge defining an end of the receptacle. The top panel has a terminal edge remote from the transverse folding edge and defining, together with the bottom panel, a removal opening of the pouch. The bottom and top panels have longitudinal lateral edges extending generally perpendicularly to the transverse folding edge along the length of the receptacle. There are also provided lateral and/or transverse tabs cut out, bent out from and integrally attached to the flexible sheet for laterally guiding and positioning the contents. The longitudinal lateral edges of the bottom panel are directly and/or indirectly connected to the longitudinal lateral edges of the top panel at transversely opposite zones.

A package for a surgical device such as a stapler is described. The package includes a top portion, a bottom portion, sidewalls which define a cavity that receives the stapler, bearing surfaces to abut the stapler and a flexible cover. The package also includes a conformable member situated between the cover and the stapler which deforms about the stapler to hold the stapler relative to the package when the cover is attached to the top portion, and which is released from the stapler when the cover is removed from the top portion.

The present invention provides a suture package and packaging method which ensures rapid access to sutures, one at a time, from a suture package which is easy to handle and store. Each suture is readily located in an advantageous position in the package, to be grasped by a needle holder, without the possibility of pulling unwanted sutures from the package, or the need to fumble through a bunch of needles to ensure that a single suture is obtained. This is done by providing a suture package, comprising a panel or panels having an open window to expose the needles, and a plurality of raised support elements on at least one side of the panel, which elements support a suture in conjunction with the panel, the support elements being arranged to permit withdrawal of a suture from the package by pulling one end of the suture in a direction parallel to the plane of the panel. The needle window opening is located on the top edge of the package, exposing the needles in the opening, and showing the number of sutures available, as well as allowing access to the needles. Preferably, the suture package also employs at least one panel which has support elements for supporting sutures on each side of the panel. Preferably, the panels comprise separate needle window openings for the sutures on each side, and those needle window openings are separated from each other, so that the withdrawal of the suture will withdraw only one suture and in the assembled package, the windows on each panel line up with each other.

A package for surgical suture material includes a base member and a cover member, wherein the cover member is configured to be placed adjacent to the base member to form the package for the surgical suture material. The base member includes an outer wall extending from an outer circumference thereof. The outer wall has a predetermined height such that it engages the cover member when the cover member is placed adjacent the base member. Partition structure extends from a bottom surface of the cover member and defines at least one suture retaining area.