U.S. patent number 3,906,955 [Application Number 05/467,611] was granted by the patent office on 1975-09-23 for surgical cauterizing tool having suction means.
Invention is credited to Richard R. Roberts.
United States Patent |
3,906,955 |
Roberts |
September 23, 1975 |
Surgical cauterizing tool having suction means
Abstract
A medical tool which comprises a cauterizing blade mounted in a
plastic handle or body, and a manually retractable vacuum tube
which can be positioned adjacent the cauterizing tool to evacuate
the cauterizing area, or which can be retracted therefrom when no
evacuation is necessary. The cauterizing blade is connected to an
electrical conductor by means of a connector which permits quick
and easy replacement of the blade. The retractable tube is adapted
to be connected to a source of vacuum.
Inventors: |
Roberts; Richard R. (Red Oak,
TX) |
Family
ID: |
23856392 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/467,611 |
Filed: |
May 6, 1974 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
606/49;
604/21 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
18/1402 (20130101); A61B 2218/008 (20130101); A61B
2018/1422 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
18/14 (20060101); A61B 18/00 (20060101); A61M
1/00 (20060101); A61B 017/36 (); A61M 001/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;128/275.1,276,297,302,303.17 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Pace; Channing L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Nienow; Harvey C.
Claims
I claim:
1. A medical tool comprising in combination,
an elongated body formed with first and second through openings and
a cavity in a side wall thereof,
cauterizing means comprising an electrical conductor within said
first through opening and a cauterizing blade extending from one
end of said first opening and connected in circuit with said
conductor,
a tube slideably positioned within said second through opening and
adapted to be connected to a vacuum source, and
a slider extending through said cavity in said body and fastened to
said tube to be manually operated exteriorly of said body to extend
and retract said tube to and from adjacent said cauterizing
blade.
2. A medical tool according to claim 1, wherein said slider is
formed with a depending portion which extends through said cavity
and is fastened to said tube within said second through
opening.
3. A medical tool according to claim 2, wherein said slider has an
extension disposed at an angle to said depending portion to cover
said cavity in said side wall to be manually operable for extending
and retracting said tube.
4. A medical tool according to claim 3, wherein said body is
generally cylindrical and said extension is arcuate to conform to
said external shape of said body and to cover the cavity in the
side wall thereof.
Description
The present invention relates generally to medical tools, and more
particularly to tools which can be used effectively for cauterizing
a small area of a person's body.
For various different purposes, it frequently becomes necessary to
cauterize a particular area of a person's body. This process
requires the application of heat and is frequently done to stop the
flow of blood when small veins have been ruptured.
Tools for cauterizing are usually electrically energized with high
frequenty electrical energy. Such element is then positioned in the
proper location to effect the cauterizing operation.
Since the cauterizing function has particular application in
closing small veins which have been ruptured, it frequently occurs
that there is a pool of blood near the cauterizing location. As
such, it is most helpful to have a source of vacuum to remove such
excess blood before or during the cauterizing operation.
Due to the limited space wherein such operations are performed, an
additional vacuum tube becomes an obstacle which can and does
interfere with the cauterizing procedure. Therefore, it is an
object of the present invention to provide a medical tool which is
capable of performing the cauterizing function and which includes
vacuum means which does not interfere with the cauterizing.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a medical
tool as characterized above which includes means for manually
manipulating the evacuating means so that the area of the patient
can be evacuated and cauterized with minimum motions and time
involved.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a medical
tool as characterized above which can be used to perform all of the
aforenamed functions while being held in one hand of the operating
physician.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a
medical tool as characterized above wherein the cauterizing blade
can be quickly and easily changed.
Another further object of the present invention is to provide a
medical tool as characterized above having a manually operable
slider which can be moved to effect retraction or extension of the
vacuum tube with respect to the cauterizing blade.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a
medical tool as characterized above which is simple and inexpensive
to manufacture and which is rugged and dependable in an
operation.
The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention
are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The device
itself, however, both as to its organization and mode of operation,
together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best
be understood from the following description of specific
embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings,
in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a medical tool according to the
present invention;
FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of the medical tool of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, taken
substantially along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view, taken substantially along
line 4--4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along
5--5 of FIG. 3 and,
FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of the medical
tool of FIG. 1.
Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout
the several views of the drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is shown therein a
medical tool 10 according to the present invention. It comprises a
body 12 which is shaped somewhat like a pencil, and is preferably
formed of plastic, although it could be formed of any appropriate
material.
Body 12 has a generally tapered exterior configuration, having a
larger cross-sectional rearward portion 12a than the forward
portion 12b.
Extending from the rear of body 12 is an electrical conductor 14
and a vacuum tube or conduit 16. Conductor 14 is adapted to be
connected to any appropriate source of electrical energy for
purposes to be hereinafter described, and conduit 16 is adapted to
be connected to any appropriate source of vacuum as will
hereinafter become more apparent.
Referring more particularly to FIG. 3 of the drawings, body 12 is
formed with a pair of through openings 12c and 12d which may extend
the entire length of the body or may communicate with a large
central opening 12e. The electrical conductor 14 extends into the
body 12, within the central opening 12e thereof, into the rear
portion of an electrical connector 18. It is soldered therein as
shown at 20. Such connector 18 is provided with an opening 18a
wherein is positioned a cauterizing element or blade 22.
In accordance with the present invention, cauterizing element 22
may take substantially any desired form or shape but is preferably
formed with an end portion 22a which is adapted to engage one end
of connector 18. As shown most clearly in FIG. 5 of the drawings,
connector 18 may be provided with a slot 18b which provides
sufficient resiliency to receive the end portion 22a of element 22
to provide a good mechanical as well as electrical connection
therebetween.
Although element 22 may take substantially any desired form or
shape appropriate for the intended use, the element 22 shown in the
drawings includes a blade portion 22b having oppositely disposed
coplanar faces or surfaces 22c.
Slidably positioned within through opening 12d of body 12 is the
end 16a of conduit 16. To effect longitudinal movement of conduit
16, for purposes which will hereinafter be explained, a manually
operable slider 24 is fastened thereto as shown at 26. Such slider
24 comprises a depending portion 24a formed with a first opening
24b for loosely receiving conductor 14, as shown in the drawings,
and a second opening 24c for snugly receiving the vacuum tube 16.
Any appropriate bonding material may be used at 26 to firmly secure
the tube 16 to the depending portion 24a of slider 24.
Slider 24 further includes a finger operated extension 24d which,
as shown most clearly in FIG. 1 of the drawings, may be formed with
a rough or knurled surface 24e, and which is curved to conform to
the general shape or contour of body 12. The depending portion 24a
of slider 24 extends through an opening or cavity 12f formed in the
side wall of body 12 as shown most clearly in FIG. 3 of the
drawings.
The subject medical tool is used by a physician, by being held like
an ordinary pen or pencil. As such, the physician is able to direct
the cauterizing blade 22 as well as the vacuum tube 16 to the
precise location. When it is desired to evacuate the space wherein
the cauterization is to take place, it is merely necessary for the
physician, by manipulation of his thumb or forefinger, to extend
the tube 16 by sliding the slider 24 to its forward position as
shown in FIG. 6. This places the end of tube 16 adjacent the
cauterizing blade 22 so as to evacuate the area to be
cauterized.
Following such evacuation, in order for the physician to properly
view the area being cauterized and to insure that the cauterizing
blade 22 is properly positioned, the vacuum tube 16 is retracted to
the position shown in FIG. 1, merely by the physician sliding the
slider 24 to its rearward position. Thus, the cauterizing blade 22
is unobstructed and can be located at the proper place.
It is thus seen that the present invention provides a medical tool
which is simple to manufacture and simple to operate and which is
capable of providing optimum effectiveness in cauterizing, while
nonetheless providing evacuation for cleaning the area to be
cauterized. Further, the evacuating elements offer no obstruction
to the cauterizing function by virtue of being retractable at
will.
Although I have shown and described certain specific embodiments of
my invention, I am well aware that many modifications thereof are
possible.
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