Surgery – Instruments – Cutting – puncturing or piercing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-01
2001-07-03
Schaetzle, Kennedy (Department: 3762)
Surgery
Instruments
Cutting, puncturing or piercing
C030S162000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254621
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a retractable surgical blade device and an associated method and, more specifically, to a retractable surgical blade device having a channel which is closed at one end.
2. Background Information
Surgical scalpels are well known devices used by surgeons and other medical personnel to make incisions into patients. These scalpels consist of a handle member, typically made of steel, and a removable surgical blade disposed on one end of the handle. The surgical blades, in order to be effective, are extremely sharp and must be handled carefully by all personnel involved in the surgical procedure in which the scalpel is used.
Because the scalpels have exposed blades, the chance of accidental stabbing or cutting of medical personnel is great. In addition to the injury caused by the cut or stab itself, infectious viruses and/or bacteria can enter into the cut or wound during the surgical procedure. Many infectious diseases can be transmitted from the blood of a surgical patient to an open wound of medical personnel inadvertently cut by the surgical blade of a scalpel.
Medical personnel may be protected from accidental scalpel wounds by a retractable surgical blade device such as the one disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,754 which is incorporated by reference. The retractable surgical blade device includes a handle defining a channel, a blade member which is joined by a blade and a body member, or slider, and a stop means such as a plug or cantilevered end portion. The handle channel extends the entire length of the channel having open ends. The front end includes a stop which allows the blade to be extended therefrom while preventing the slider from passing therethrough. The back end is closed by the plug or cantilevered end portion which prevents the slider from passing therethrough.
While this design presents an elegant solution to the problem of exposed blades in during surgery, a disposable plastic retractable surgical blade, like any plastic device, can be improved and the manufacturing cost could be reduced by the elimination of any unnecessary parts, the elimination of any unnecessary molding or, the reduction of the number of manufacturing steps. Additionally, the retractable surgical blade device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,754 cannot be locked into a closed position following its final use. Such a locking device would ensure that the contaminated blade could not be easily re-extended and possibly cut someone.
There is, therefore, a need for a retractable surgical blade device having a reduced number of parts.
There is a further need for a retractable surgical blade device which can be assembled with fewer manufacturing steps.
There is a further need for a retractable surgical blade device which incorporates a locking device to lock the blade in a closed position following its final use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
These needs, and others, are met by the closed channel retractable surgical blade device. The device comprises a handle and a surgical blade member having a slider to which a surgical blade is secured. The handle has two portions: a front portion defining a channel and a back portion which may be solid. The slider has a portion which engages the channel so that the surgical blade member can move between (a) a cutting position in which the surgical blade projects from the handle to permit the device to be employed in a surgical procedure and (b) a parked position in which the surgical blade is disposed in the channel. When in the parked position, the surgical blade is unable to cut or stab persons associated with the surgical procedure. The retractable surgical blade device also includes a locking device to lock the blade in the parked position prior to disposal. The device further includes an improved structure of cooperating positioning members on the handle and the slider to position and secure the device in the desired position.
The method of the invention involves providing a retractable surgical blade device as described above in the parked position and moving the surgical blade member into the cutting position. A surgical procedure is then performed. The surgical blade member is then moved from the cutting position back into the parked position.
It is an object of the invention to provide a closed channel surgical blade device which reduces the cost of manufacture of such a retractable surgical blade device.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a surgical blade device that can be safely locked in a parked position prior to disposal.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a surgical blade device that is easy to use.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a surgical blade device that is adapted to be used with different sizes and types of surgical blades.
It is still yet another object of the invention to provide a method of performing a surgical procedure using a retractable surgical blade device which can be locked in the parked position prior to disposal.
These and other objects of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of the invention with reference to the drawings appended hereto.
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Gratton John P.
Nickerson Thomas D.
Shackelford Howard L.
Droesch Kristen
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott , LLC
Jenkins David C.
S & S Surgical Products, Inc.
Schaetzle Kennedy
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