Mole Remover

Abstract

This mole remover is comprised of a plunger shaft with a machined rack at one end that actuates a gear to whose spindles are attached to a thin U-shaped razor-like blade. The plunger shaft is assembled with a spring loaded collar inside a tube designed to be conveniently held by the hand. Connected to the tube is an adjusting sleeve capable of being raised or lowered along the central axis of the tube. The positioning of the sleeve permits the determination of the depth of the incision made by the razor-like blade. Every human has 20 to 30 moles, several of which frequently are preferably removed. Surgical removal is recommended today in order to permit a subsequent biopsy of the offending tissue. To remove a mole by means of excision with a scalpel does not permit a proper cosmetic result because the knife is linear and the mole is generally round. The resulting wound is a ragged edged, four sided diamond overcut with a wedged gorge.

Description

The present invention relates to a novel method for rapid incision and excision of various diameter moles. A perfect elliptical incision is guaranteed because the cutting blade is elliptically shaped, thus facilitating a perfect approximation of skin and of adequate depth to assure non-seeding of potentially malignant tissue.

The primary object of the mole remover is to provide a means for the rapid excision of moles at a sufficient depth so as to prevent seeding of those that are malignant and yet minimize the cutting and have the cutting in such geometrical form to assure optimum cosmetic results upon healing. A second objective of the invention is to provide a means for a more rapid, less painful operation. Only local anesthesia is necessary because of the sharpness of the thin razor-like blade and because of the rapidity of the cut. In view of the symmetrical cut, simple skin clips will adequately close the wound for subsequent rapid healing.

Based upon the size of the mole to be excised, the correct size razor-like blade is selected and assembled to the drive gear. The drive gear assembly is then locked into position in the tube assembly. After the desired depth of cut is determined, the adjusting sleeve is raised or lowered as the case may be to the desired position. The tube is now centered over the mole to be removed by viewing along the outside diameter of the tube and through the inside of the adjusting sleeve. The spring loaded plunger is depressed which causes the razor-like blade to swing through an arc with the resulting excision of the disturbing tissue.

FIG. 1 provides a plan view of the mole remover assembly being placed on the wrist of a patient preparatory to removal of a mole.

FIG. 2 is a cross section view of the mole remover assembly without the gear driven razor-like blade attached.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the gear drive and attaching razor-like blade of which two different sizes and contours are shown along with a representation of typical cuts that can be made.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in FIG. 2, 1 illustrates a plunger shaft with a machined rack at the extended end and threaded at a section to permit the attachment of a spring retaining collar 4. A spring, 5, is assembled between a bearing, 6, and said retaining collar, 4. The plunger shaft, 1, is assembled inside a tube, 3, to which is attached a cap, 2, at one end, and an adjusting sleeve, 9, at the other end. Said adjusting sleeve, 9, is comprised of an internally threaded collar, 7, to which is assembled attaching arms, 8, that support the collar to said adjusting sleeve, 9. Said adjusting sleeve, 9, is capable of being moved along the central axis of tube 3 by means of turning the assembly on the threaded portion of tube 3.

Two J-shaped slots extend through the end portion of tube 3 adjacent to adjusting sleeve 9. A drive gear 12 (FIG. 3) is positioned in this J-shaped slot with the drive gear 12 engaging the machined rack at the end portion of plunger shaft 1. A retaining lock 10 is attached to tube 3 adjacent to drive gear 12. Retaining lock 10 may be moved vertically to bear against drive gear 12 and held it in position. A U-shaped blade 13 (or 14) is attached to the end portion of drive gear 12 by means of retaining screws 11.

In operation, the adjusting sleeve 9 is adjusted to the proper vertical position by turning on threaded portion of tube 3. A blade 13 is attached to the end portion of drive gear 12 by retaining screws 11. The tube 3 is then positioned above the mole to be removed with adjusting sleeve 9 bearing against the skin.

Plunger shaft is then pressed downwardly, causing the machine rack to rotate drive gear 12 and attached blade 13. Blade 13 rotates about 180.degree., penetrates the skin making an elliptical shaped cut therethrough and excising the mole.

Claims

I claim:

1. A surgical instrument for the excision of various sized moles from the surface of the skin, having a remotely activated blade, and an adjustable sleeve for varying the distance of the blade from the skin to change the depth of cut, comprising in combination:

A support tube;

A plunger centrally positioned in said support tube so as to slide axially therein, a stem attached to one end portion of said plunger and extending without said support tube;

A rack having teeth thereon attached to the other end portion of said plunger within said support tube and adapted to slide axially therein;

A drive gear, having teeth thereon, rotatably attached within said support tube adjacent to the teeth of said rack;

Whereby, axial movement of said rack produces engagement of the teeth thereon with the teeth of said drive gear and the rotation of said drive gear;

A spring within said support tube adapted to bear axially against said plunger to bias said plunger away from said drive gear;

A single semi-cylindrical blade, the two end portions of which are attached to opposite sides of said drive gear and rotatable therewith about a single axis;

An adjustable sleeve adapted to contact the skin, screwably attached to said support tube and axially adjustable thereon, adapted to permit the adjustment of the distance of said sleeve from the skin to produce varying depths of cuts into the skin;

Whereby, by placing said adjustable sleeve upon the skin in the proximity of a mole, and pressing said plunger, said rack will rotate said driving gear and said semi-cylindrical blade to excise said mole from the skin.

2. The combination as claimed in claim 1 in which said adjustable sleeve is comprised of, in combination:

An internally threaded collar in threaded engagement with threads circumferentially positioned on said support tube;

Arms attached to said internally threaded collar and extending radially outwardly therefrom;

A spacing member adapted to contact the skin attached to said arms:

Whereby said adjustable sleeve may be moved axially along said support tube allowing adjustment of the distance between the bottom of said adjustable sleeve, contacting the skin, and the extended end of said semi-cylindrical blade, to produce an adjustment of depth of cuts of said blade into the skin.

3. The combination as claimed in 2 in which said rotable attachment of said drive gear within said support tube is comprised of, in combination:

The end portion of said support tube having two J-shaped slots there through diagonally positioned from another, adapted to receive said drive gear in a rotatable relationship;

A retaining latch slideably positioned on the end portion of said support tube adjacent to one of said J-shaped slots and adapted to slide against said drive gear when it is positioned in said J-shaped slots securing said drive gear therein.

4. The combination as claimed in claim 3 in which said drive gear has screw means axially positioned on the end portions thereof; said screw means being adapted to receive the two end portions of the semi-cylindrical blade, thus retaining said blade to said drive gear.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 in which said semi-cylindrical blade sweeps an arc of about 180.degree..

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 in which said blade is semi-elliptical in shape.