U.S. patent number RE32,021 [Application Number 06/506,624] was granted by the patent office on 1985-11-05 for surgical retractor utilizing elastic tubes frictionally held in spaced notches.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Lone Star Medical Products, Inc.. Invention is credited to Frank B. Scott, Jr..
United States Patent |
RE32,021 |
Scott, Jr. |
November 5, 1985 |
Surgical retractor utilizing elastic tubes frictionally held in
spaced notches
Abstract
A surgical retractor, which includes a frame conformed to fit
the surface contour of the portion of the body to be operated on
and at least one stay which includes an elastic member and tissue
holding means. The frame has a plurality of notches spaced about
its periphery and the elastic member of the stay is adapted to be
inserted into one of the notches and held in place by friction to
retract the tissue.
Inventors: |
Scott, Jr.; Frank B. (Houston,
TX) |
Assignee: |
Lone Star Medical Products,
Inc. (Houston, TX)
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Family
ID: |
26715242 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/506,624 |
Filed: |
June 22, 1983 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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Reissue of: |
038469 |
May 14, 1979 |
04274398 |
Jun 23, 1981 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
600/217;
600/233 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B
17/0293 (20130101); A61B 2017/0287 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A61B
17/02 (20060101); A61B 017/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;433/5
;128/20,12,13,15,17,18,327 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Izmailov et al., "Universal Retractor for Cavity Surgery", Biomed.
Engr., vol. 8, No. 5 (Sep.-Oct. 1974)..
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Primary Examiner: Rosenbaum; C. Fred
Assistant Examiner: Kruter; J. L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vaden, Eickenroht, Thompson &
Jamison
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A surgical retractor for use in performing surgery upon a
portion of the body having a surface contour, which comprises:
a generally annular frame conformed to fit the surface contour of
the portion of the body to be operated upon, said frame having a
periphery, said periphery having a plurality of notches having a
width and depth spaced thereabout;
a stay which includes an elastic member having a length and a width
and tissue holding means attached thereto, wherein the width of
said elastic member is greater than the width of said notches such
that said elastic member is held in place by friction when inserted
into one of said notches; and
said elastic member includes a section of .Iadd.hollow
.Iaddend.elastic tubing and said tissue holding means including a
hook having a handle portion inserted in said tubing. .Iadd.
2. A surgical retractor for use in performing surgery upon a
portion of the body having a surface contour, which comprises:
a generally annular frame conformed to fit the surface contour of
the portion of the body to be operated upon, said frame having a
periphery, said periphery having a plurality of slots having a
width and depth spaced thereabout;
a stay which includes an hollow elastic tubular member having a
length and a width and tissue holding means attached thereto,
wherein the width of said elastic member is greater than the width
of said slots such that said elastic member is held in place by
friction when inserted into one of said slots; and
said tissue holding means including a hook having an handle portion
connected to one end of said elastic member. .Iaddend. .Iadd.3. A
surgical retractor comprising a frame of rigid material for placing
directly on a patient to be supported by the patient and shaped to
at least partially surround a surgical wound in a patient
undergoing surgery, said frame including outwardly extending flange
portion and a spacer portion to hold the flange portion spaced from
the patient, a plurality of stays for holding the wound open, each
of said stays including an elongated, flexible, hollow elastic
tubular member having a hook attached to one end to engage the side
of a surgical wound and pull it away from the other side under the
force of the elastic member, and a plurality of spaced slots in the
outer edge of the flange portion of the frame into which the
elastic member may be inserted to hold the desired tension in the
elastic member by frictional engagement of the elastic member and
the slot. .Iaddend. .Iadd.4. The retractor of claim 3 in which the
frame includes a portion that is pivotally connected to the frame
to allow the portion to pivot to a selected position out of the
plane of the frame. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.5. The retractor of claim 3 in which each stay includes a
flat sided handle portion adjacent the hook. .Iaddend. .Iadd.6. The
retractor of claim 5 in which the hook includes a recurved portion
inserted into the end of the hollow elastic member. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.7. A surgical retractor comprising a frame of rigid material
for placing directly on a patient to be supported by the patient
and shaped to at least partially surround a surgical wound in a
patient undergoing surgery, said frame including outwardly
extending flange portion and a spacer portion to hold the flange
portion spaced from the patient to allow hooks connected to one end
of elongated hollow elastic tubular members to exert the desired
force on the wound to hold it open by tensioning the elongated
elastic members and threading the elastic member through one of the
slots into the space between the patient and the flange where it is
held by friction between the slot and the elastic member. .Iaddend.
.Iadd.8. The retractor of claim 3 in which the frame includes a
portion that is pivotally connected to the frame to allow the
portion to pivot to a selected position out of the plane of the
frame. .Iaddend.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to surgical apparatus, and more particularly
to retractors.
B. Background of the Invention
During the course of a surgical procedure, the wound is separated
and retracted by means retractors or stay sutures, which are
generally held by trained assistants. Current retractors retract
the wound in a non-yielding manner such that manipulation and
movement by the surgeon as well as movement caused by contracting
muscles or tissues of the patient result in bruising or tearing of
the tissue. Once the wound is separated and retracted, further
stabilizing, retracting, or delivering of exposed tissues or
organs, require the placement of additional retractors or stay
sutures which, again, must generally be held by trained assistants.
Some organs are sufficiently mobile, for example, the eye, kidney,
or bladder, that there are no retractors which fit the organ
without the distortion thereof. Such organs require multiple stay
sutures, which require excessive time and expense in the repeated
placement, retraction, fixation, holding and often untangling of
the stays.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a retractor
which overcomes the shortcomings of the prior art. More
specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide a
retractor that decreases or eliminates the need for trained people
to retract tissue at the direction of the surgeon. It is a further
object of the present invention to provide a retractor that allows
the surgeon to quickly and repeatedly adjust the retraction,
delivery, fixation, and exposure of various parts of the wound and
its contents as the operation progresses.
Briefly stated, the foregoing and other objects of the present
invention are achieved by providing a retractor that includes a
generally annular frame conformed to fit the surface contour of the
portion of the body to be operated upon. A plurality of stays are
provided, which are adapted to be inserted into and held in place
in a plurality of notches spaced about the periphery of the frame.
The stays include a tissue holding device, for example, a hook, and
an elastic member. The surgeon can adjust quite precisely the
traction applied to the tissue by the placement of the elastic
member within the slots. Also, the surgeon can quickly readjust
both the direction and force of the traction quickly and
easily.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top view of one preferred embodiment of the present
invention, which illustrates a retractor adapted for use in the
genitourinary area.
FIG. 2 is a side view of the retractor of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the stay of the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing the retractor of FIG. 1 in use in
performing a bladder operation.
FIG. 5 is a view of another embodiment of the present invention in
use to perform a kidney operation.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, the retractor of the present
invention is designated generally by the numeral 11. Retractor 11
includes a generally annular frame 12 and a plurality of stays,
each designated generally by the numeral 20.
Referring to FIG. 3, each stay 20 includes an .Iadd.elongated,
flexible .Iaddend.elastic member 21 that is connected to a
tissue-holding device, which in the preferred embodiment is a hook
22. In the preferred embodiment, elastic member 21 comprises a
section of silicon rubber tubing. Hook 22 includes a shank portion
23 and a recurved handle portion 24. In the manufacture of stay 20,
an end of elastic member 21 is soaked in xylene until the end
becomes malleable, whereupon handle portion 24 is inserted
thereinto. When the xylene evaporates from elastic member 21, the
tubing again becomes elastic and holds handle portion 24 firmly in
place. The shape of handle portion 24 provides a convenient means
by which the surgeon can manipulate hook 22.
Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, frame 12 is formed from a
non-yielding material, as for example stainless steel, and is
conformed to fit the surface contours of the portion of the body to
be operated upon, as for example the genitourinary area as shown in
FIG. 4. Frame 12 .[.has.]. .Iadd.includes an outwardly extending
flange portion which includes .Iaddend.a plurality of notches 13
about the periphery thereof. The width and depth of each notch 13
is such that elastic portion 21 of stay 20 may be inserted therein
and held in place by friction without damaging elastic member 21.
Frame 12 includes a spacer portion 14 around the lower side
thereof, which spaces notches 13 from the body to allow the surgeon
easier access thereto.
A portion, designated by the numeral 15, is hingedly connected to
frame 12 so that the shape of frame 12 may be changed, as shown in
FIG. 2. Portion 15 may be lowered to the position designated by the
numeral 16 in FIG. 2 when retractor 11 is used as illustrated in
FIG. 4. Portion 15 may be raised to the position designated by the
numeral 17 in FIG. 2 when retractor 11 is used in the scrotal
approach technique in implantation of a penile prosthesis.
.Iadd.Portion 15 is held in position 16 or 17 or any intermediate
position by friction within the hinged connection between it and
frame 12, or by other suitable mechanical means well-known in the
art. .Iaddend.
The operation of the retractor of the present invention may be
understood by referring to FIGS. 4 and 5. FIG. 4 illustrates the
use of retractor 11 to expose the bladder 30. The surgeon would
first .[.place.]. .Iadd.lay .Iaddend.frame 12 .Iadd.on the patient
.Iaddend.as shown. Afer making his initial incision, the surgeon
would use a pair of stays 20 to open the wound designated generally
by the numeral 31. The surgeon can control the tension applied to
the edges of the wound by his placement of stays 20 in notches 13.
As the surgeon proceeds through deeper layers of tissue, wound 31
is pulled further open by the tension of elastic members 21, and if
the direction or force or direction of the tension that is
necessary needs to be changed, the surgeon can quickly do so simply
by removing and reinserting hook 22 and/or by moving elastic member
21 to a different notch.
A further example of the use of the retractor of the present
invention is shown in FIG. 5, which illustrates a kidney operation.
A frame 40 is provided to conform to the right flank. Again, a
plurality of stays 20 would be used to open the wound and thereby
expose the kidney 50. FIG. 5 illustrates further the versatility of
the retractor of the present invention. For example, a section of
tubing, designated by the numeral 25, may be looped under the
kidney to suspend and to deliver the kidney to the surgeon for
greater ease in operating thereon. Additionally, another section of
tubing, designated by the numeral 26, could be used as a torniquet
to halt the flow of blood to the kidney.
From the foregoing, it can be seen that the retractor of the
present invention increases greatly the efficiency and
effectiveness of the surgeon. At least one member of the surgical
team is eliminated, thereby reducing the expense to the patient.
Moreover, by eliminating the need for an assistant directed by the
surgeon, the surgeon is able to proceed more quickly, which results
in further cost savings. Also, substantial benefits to the physical
wellbeing of the patient are achieved by the use of the retractor
of the present invention. The precise control that the surgeon has
over the placement of and tension applied to the retracting devices
minimize trauma during the course of the operation.
Further modifications and alternative embodiments of the retractor
of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in
view of this description. Accordingly, this description is to be
construed as illustrative only and is for the purpose of teaching
those skilled in the art the manner of carrying out the invention.
It is to be understood that the forms of the invention herewith
shown and described are to be taken as the presently preferred
embodiments. Various changes may be made in the shape, size and
arrangment of parts. For example, equivalent elements or materials
may be substituted for those illustrated and described herein,
parts may be reversed, and certain features of the invention may be
utilized independently of the use of other features, all as would
be apparent to one skilled in the art after having the benefit of
this description of the invention.
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