Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus for attaching an end of a suture to an axially extending bore formed in a proximal end of a surgical needle. At least one of a pair of staking dies is movable toward and away from the other. A proximal end face of the surgical needle is engageable with a stopper surface of a guide unit to axially position the surgical needle. The guide unit has a guide passage extending substantially perpendicularly to the stopper surface, for guiding the end of the suture. An outlet of the guide passage opens to the stopper surface in confronting relation to a space between the staking dies. The guide passage has a tapered portion decreasing in cross-sectional area toward the outlet. The proximal end of the surgical needle is positioned by a positioning mechanism perpendicularly to the axis of the surgical needle so that the bore in the surgical needle is brought substantially into alignment with the outlet of the guide passage.

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First Claim