BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the medical device shown without the flexible attachment lanyard.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the medical device shown without the flexible attachment lanyard.
FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the second embodiment of the invention comprising a flexible attachment including an opening through which a surgeon passes his hand to couple the medical device to the surgeon's wrist. FIG. 3B is a cross section view of FIG. 3A.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention and showing with the flexible attachment securing the medical device to a hand of a surgeon in which the device is being held.
FIG. 5 is an alternative view showing the surgeon inserting the medical device into the abdominal region of the patient via a closed hand that forms a fist.
FIG. 6 depicts a medical device that has been retrieved from a patient after slipping from the surgeon's fingers.
FIG. 7 is a first view of the medical device being tensioned with the ring finger and the small finger to resist slippage while performing surgery.
FIG. 8 is another view showing the medical instrument being held across the palm of the surgeon's hand.
FIG. 9 is an additional view showing the medical instrument being held in a closed hand. This depicts a method for introducing the medical instrument into the patient's abdomen.
FIG. 10 is an alternative view showing the flexible attachment being routed across the fleshy region between the thumb and forefinger.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The embodiments of the invention and the various features and advantageous details thereof are more fully explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments and examples that are described and/or illustrated in the accompanying drawings and set forth in the following description. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, and the features of one embodiment may be employed with the other embodiments as the skilled artisan recognizes, even if not explicitly stated herein. Descriptions of well-known components and techniques may be omitted to avoid obscuring the invention. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the invention may be practiced and to further enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Accordingly, the examples and embodiments set forth herein should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims. Moreover, it is noted that like reference numerals represent similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.
A pair of forceps are a hand-held instrument that is used for grasping items. In surgical procedures, forceps are used to handle tissues, needles and dressings. FIG. 1 and 2 show respective embodiments of the laparoscopic forceps 1, without a flexible attachment means 40. The overall length of the forceps is substantially 9 cm as shown in FIG. 1. The forceps 1 may be formed from stainless steel, medical grade metal, composite material, plastic or the like.
The pair of forceps 1 includes a base 10 having an opening 15 for accepting a flexible attachment means 40, as shown in FIGS. 3A through 10. The base 10 is substantially 2.46 cm in length. Two branches 20A and 20B, collectively referred to as 20 herein, extend from the base 10 which couples them together. The branches 20 are biased away from one another and formed as shown in FIG. 3B. Each branch 20 includes an enlarged region 24 that comprises an area having a larger width that adjoining regions of the branch. This is the grip where the surgeon applies pressure to close the branches that form the working jaws. Undulations 25 are provided on the exterior surface of each branch and along this enlarged region 24 to provide an area where the surgeon directs pressure to operate the forceps 1 to grip tissue and the like. The undulations 25 create a roughened area that prevents the surgeon's gloves from inadvertently slipping from the forceps during use. It is to be understood by the skilled artisan that while the figures only depict undulations, the exterior surface of each branch may be provided with scoring or the like to roughen it. The length of each branch is substantially 6.54 cm.
Working ends 30A and 30B, collectively referred to as 30 hereinafter, are arranged at ends of the branches 20 opposite the base 10. In the first embodiment shown in FIG. 1, interior surfaces of the working ends 30 include teeth 35 arranged there along. It is notable that the working ends 30 have a smaller width than any other region of the branches. The teeth are not present in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The first embodiment is useful for grasping tissue. The second embodiment may be used for gripping needles and may include a needle groove 33 for accommodating needles during suturing processes.
A flexible attachment means 40 passes through opening 15 as shown in FIG. 3. The flexible attachment means 40 includes a hand opening 45 through which the surgeon passes his hand to couple the forceps 1 to his wrist. The flexible attachment means may be severed and replaced as necessary. Moreover, the flexible attachment: may comprise one or more selected from a group consisting of surgical thread, rubber, or other inert material.
The forceps include a short length that may be inadequate for properly holding the instrument without the coupler attached. However, the flexible attachment means extends the gripping region of the device such that the third through fifth fingers of the surgeon's hand may be wrapped around the flexible attachment as shown in FIG. 7. If the external diameter of the flexible attachment means small, then tension may be applied to the base of the instrument to securely seat the instrument between the thumb and forefinger. Moreover, the overall length of the coupler may be varied to allow for more or less tensioning of the base within the hand. For example, the length of the flexible attachment means between the wrist of the surgeon and the base of the instrument may be short such that only the third finger of the surgeon's hand exerts pressure against the flexible attachment means. Alternatively the length of a new flexible attachment means may be increased to accommodate the fourth and fifth fingers to increase tension on the flexible attachment means. Since suturing materials may be utilized as the flexible attachment means, its length may be easily varied according to a surgeon's preference.
In addition to the flexible attachment including a fastening means necessary for helping to hold the instrument in place when it is used, The flexible attachment also provides an easy retrieval device and method should the device slip from the surgeons hand during surgery. The surgeon withdraws his hand from within the patient and the instrument is retrieved. Moreover, the surgeon may intentionally allow the device to slip from his fingers without losing the device in the patient's abdomen.
The flexible attachment means may be ran across the palm of the hand and grasped by the middle, ring and/or small finger of the surgeon to aid in controlling or manipulating the forceps. Alternatively, the forceps may be coupled to the wrist by running the flexible attachment means across the exterior of the hand between the surgeon's thumb and forefinger.
FIG. 4 depicts a patient 100 upon whom hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery is being performed. For ease in understanding the invention, the figures depict an ungloved surgeon's hand and some of the necessary elements for performing laparoscopy are not shown. For example, it is to be understood that surgical gloves are worn during the surgery. More importantly, a seal must be maintained in the patient's abdomen to create pneumoperitoneum. Thus, it is necessary for an acceptable hand port 110 to be provided. A scope 105 is inserted through a port 115. The forceps 1 are then secured around the wrist of the surgeon 150. Other instruments may be inserted through the other shown port 115.
The forceps 1 may be introduced into the patient's abdomen through a closed hand as shown in FIG. 5. As can be recognized, the surgeon may allow the forceps 1 to drop from his hand as necessary during surgery. As shown in FIG. 6, the forceps 1 may be easily retrieved by withdrawing the hand through the hand port 110.
FIG. 8 shows the forceps in the palm of the surgeons hand along with the flexible attachment means. As clearly depicted in FIG. 9, the forceps may be substantially retained within the closed fist of the surgeon. FIG. 10 depicts an alternative way of routing the flexible attachment means across the fleshy part of the surgeon's hand.
While the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in limiting sense. From the above disclosure of the general principles of the present invention and the preceding detailed description, those skilled in the art will readily comprehend the various modifications to which the present invention is susceptible. Therefore, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the following claims and equivalents thereof.
Patent Application
20080077177
