Surgery – Specula – Retractor
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-14
2001-01-16
Mancene, Gene (Department: 3732)
Surgery
Specula
Retractor
Reexamination Certificate
active
06174282
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a speculum for dilating, visualising and instrumenting a body cavity such as a vagina or rectum.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
A conventional speculum comprises a plurality of dilator members or arms which are spread by an actuator for enlarging a body cavity. There are commonly two types of actuators, the lever type and the cam or iris type. The lever type actuator typically comprises a pair of handles each having one dilator arm arranged in a manner so that when the handles are squeezed together the dilator arms spread apart. An inherent drawback with most lever type speculums is that the levers or handles are disposed in the line of sight of the body cavity therefore obscuring a view of the cavity under examination and/or interfering with the placement of medical instruments.
In the iris type speculums, the dilator arms are moved outwardly in a spiralling motion. As a result, the arms must slide against the tissue in the cavity being examined which may cause pinching of the tissue or discomfort to the patient. A further disadvantage with the known iris type speculums is their relatively complex construction and manufacture which increases costs to the extent that the speculums are in general, intended for multiple use. This therefore necessitates a strict hygiene and sterilisation program to ensure that there is no cross infection between patients. Accordingly, the use of iris type speculums is generally inconvenient to practitioners and increases the cost of service.
A further generation of speculums is known in which a rotating annular cam bears against the side of pivotal dilator arms causing the arms to pivot outwardly. An example of such a speculum is shown in Applicant's International application no. PCT/AU96/00125 (WO 96/28083). While this type of speculum has several advantages over the lever and iris type speculums described above, it is still relatively complex in manufacture requiring the production of numerous separate components which must then be assembled into the complete speculum.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a speculum which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble and thus can be produced economically to facilitate once only disposable use and does not adversely affect visualisation or instrumenting of a body cavity.
According to the present invention there is provided a speculum for dilating a body cavity including:
a main body;
a plurality of first dilator fingers, coupled at their respective proximal ends to the main body in a manner to allow the respective distal ends of the first fingers to move away from each other; and,
an actuator pivotally coupled to the main body, the actuator provided with a second finger fixed thereto, wherein the actuator can be pivoted into abutment with the proximal ends of the first dilator fingers causing the distal ends of the first fingers and the second finger move away from each other thereby dilating the body cavity.
Preferably the actuator is arranged to pivot through a first angle prior to abutment with the first fingers so that the distal end of the second finger commences to move before the distal ends of the first fingers move.
Preferably the main body is provided with a third fixed finger which is located between adjacent ones of the first fingers and opposite the second finger.
Preferably the distal ends of the second and third fingers extend beyond the distal ends of the first fingers.
Preferably respective distal ends of first fingers are located inside the second and third fingers when the speculum is in a fully closed state.
Preferably the distal end of one of the second and third fingers extends beyond that of the other of the second and third fingers.
Preferably the first fingers are integrally formed with the main body and provided with respective integral hinges to allow movement away from each other.
Preferably each hinge has a hinge axis about which its corresponding finger can move, said hinge axis being canted so that the movement of the corresponding finger is a combined upward and sideways movement.
Preferably said main body comprises a first ring like structure to which said first dilator fingers are attached and said actuator comprises a second ring like structure which pivots inside said first ring like structure, said first and second ring like structures defining a window through which the cavity can be viewed when the distal ends of the fingers are moved away from each other.
Preferably said speculum further comprises a releasable locking mechanism for locking the relative positions of the fingers, and subsequently releasing the fingers.
Preferably said mechanism comprises a first component provided on said actuator and a second component provided on said main body, said first and second components arranged to engage each other when said actuator is pushed in the direction of insertion, and adapted to release from each other when force is applied to said actuator in a direction oblique to the direction of insertion.
Preferably said first component comprises one of a pawl and a rack of teeth like projections, and the second component comprises the other of the pawl and the rack, said pawl and rack being biased into engagement when the actuator is pushed in the direction of insertion, and being lifted apart to effect disengagement when said force is applied.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a speculum for dilating a body cavity including:
a main body;
a plurality of first dilator fingers coupled at their respective proximal ends to the main body in a manner to allow the respective distal ends of the first fingers to move away from each other; and
an actuator pivotally coupled to the main body, the actuator provided with a second finger fixed thereto, the second finger located between adjacent ones of the first fingers, the actuator arranged to abut the proximal ends of the first fingers when pivoted in a first direction, whereby when the speculum is in a fully closed state and actuator is pivoted in a first direction a distal end of the second fingers initially pivots away from the first fingers and when the actuator abuts the first fingers it causes their distal ends to move away from each other thereby dilating the body cavity.
According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a speculum for dilating a body cavity including:
a main body;
a plurality of first dilator fingers hinged at their proximal ends to the main body about respective canted hinge axes to allow the first dilator fingers to move with a combined upward and sideways motion; and an actuator pivotally coupled to the main body, the actuator provided with a second finger fixed thereto so that the actuator can be pivoted into abutment with the first dilator fingers causing the first fingers to move outwardly with said combined upward and sideways motion and the second finger to move away from the first fingers thereby dilating the body cavity.
REFERENCES:
patent: 52014 (1866-01-01), Bartlett
patent: 380745 (1888-04-01), Chamberlin
patent: 1614065 (1927-01-01), Guttmann
patent: 3817242 (1974-06-01), Uddenberg
patent: 5377667 (1995-01-01), Patton et al.
patent: 5916151 (1999-06-01), Charters
patent: 2698778 (1994-06-01), None
patent: 43218 (1982-01-01), None
patent: 288157 (1988-10-01), None
patent: WO 92/21279 (1992-12-01), None
patent: WO 94/12091 (1994-06-01), None
Mancene Gene
MCA Medical Products Pty Ltd
Robert Eduardo C.
Workman & Nydegger & Seeley
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