Surgery – Instruments – Cutting – puncturing or piercing
Reissue Patent
2000-03-28
2003-11-25
Milano, Michael J. (Department: 3731)
Surgery
Instruments
Cutting, puncturing or piercing
C606S174000, C606S205000
Reissue Patent
active
RE038335
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a surgical instrument and more particularly, to an arthroscopic/endoscopic surgical instrument which may be used to remove or otherwise treat tissue in a joint or other body space or a potential space.
Surgical instruments which may be used to remove tissue or perform other operations on tissue are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,499,899; 4,517,977; 4,649,919; 4,763,669; and 4,834,729. The surgical instruments disclosed in these patents have stem sections which extend outwardly from a handle. A cutting tool or other device is disposed at the outer end of the stem section. The stem section is rigid, and the cutting tool or other device can not be moved in different planes relative to the stem section. Other surgical instruments, in which a cutting tool is movable relative to the stem section, are shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,354,311, 5,330,502, 5,209,747, and 5,152,744.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In a first embodiment, the present invention is a surgical instrument comprising a manually engageable handle, a rigid stem section extending from the handle, and a tissue engaging means for engaging tissue. The tissue engaging means includes first and second tissue engaging members. The first tissue engaging member is pivotable relative to the second tissue engaging member to engage tissue between the first and second tissue engaging members. An articulated shaft is connected between the stem section and the tissue engaging means, and supports the tissue engaging means for movement between a plurality of orientations relative to the stem section. First actuator means is connected with the handle for bending the articulated shaft to change the orientation of the tissue engaging means relative to the stem section from a first orientation to a second orientation. Second actuator means is connected with the handle and with the first tissue engaging member for effecting pivotal movement of the first tissue engaging member relative to the second tissue engaging member to engage tissue between the first and second tissue engaging members when the tissue engaging means is in any of its plurality of orientations relative to the stem section.
In another embodiment, the present invention is a surgical instrument comprising a manually engageable handle, a first stem section having a longitudinal axis and extending from the handle, and tissue engaging means for engaging tissue. The tissue engaging means includes at least a first tissue engaging member. A second stem section is connected between the first stem section and the tissue engaging means. The second stem section has at least a portion which is bendable and supports the tissue engaging means for movement between a plurality of orientations relative to the axis and to the first stem section. The surgical instrument includes means for supporting the first tissue engaging member on the bendable portion of the second stem section, and means for bending the bendable portion of the second stem section to change the orientation of the tissue engaging means relative to the axis and to the first stem section from a first orientation to a second orientation. The bendable portion of the second stem section comprises means for enabling bending movement of the bendable portion to locate the tissue engaging means in an orientation extending 90° to the longitudinal axis of the first stem section at more than one location along the length of the bendable portion.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3470876 (1969-10-01), Barchilon
patent: 3605725 (1971-09-01), Bentov
patent: 4274414 (1981-06-01), Johnson et al.
patent: 4362160 (1982-12-01), Hiltebrandt
patent: 4499899 (1985-02-01), Lyons, III
patent: 4517977 (1985-05-01), Frost
patent: 4649919 (1987-03-01), Thimsen et al.
patent: 4763669 (1988-08-01), Jaeger
patent: 4834069 (1989-05-01), Umeda
patent: 4834729 (1989-05-01), Sjostrom
patent: 4880015 (1989-11-01), Nierman
patent: 5025804 (1991-06-01), Kondo
patent: 5100426 (1992-03-01), Nixon
patent: 5143475 (1992-09-01), Chikama
patent: 5178129 (1993-01-01), Chikama et al.
patent: 5209747 (1993-05-01), Knoepfler
patent: 5295990 (1994-03-01), Levin
patent: 5330502 (1994-07-01), Hassler et al.
patent: 5354311 (1994-10-01), Kambin et al.
patent: 3920706 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 4136861 (1993-05-01), None
patent: 4204051 (1993-08-01), None
patent: 0 301 288 (1989-02-01), None
patent: 2 662 778 (1991-12-01), None
patent: WO 93/00048 (1993-01-01), None
patent: WO 93/04634 (1993-03-01), None
patent: WO 93/20760 (1993-10-01), None
patent: WO 93/20768 (1993-10-01), None
Raychem Corp., Rahchem Shape-Memory Alloys, pp 1-16, 1989, Advertising Brochure.*
A copy of an EPO Search Report dated Jul. 26, 1995.*
A copy of an EPO Search Report dated Sep. 1, 1995.
Aust Gilbert M.
Taylor Timothy E.
Davis Daniel Jacob
Endius Incorporated
Milano Michael J.
LandOfFree
Surgical instrument does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Surgical instrument, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Surgical instrument will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3181913