Flexible wire transection the transverse carpal ligament

• US 20040143280A1
• Filed: 01/17/2003
• Published: 07/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Original Assignee: Loubert Suddaby
• Inventors: Suddaby, Loubert
• Application Number:
  US10/346,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20040143280A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/167
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/149 Chain, wire or band saws
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32056 Surgical snare instruments for removing or smashing calculi A61B2017/2212; tonsillotomes A61B17/26
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/06095 pliable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320044 Blunt dissectors blunt suture needles A61B2017/06085

Abstract

A flexible cutting filament or wire is led through the carpal tunnel, beneath the transverse carpal ligament, by a passer. Thereafter, the opposite ends of the wire are secured in an instrument which tightens the wire and may be used to move the wire as a cutting tool to transect the overlying ligament, while preserving surrounding tissues. The small wire diameter enables minimally invasive techniques to limit post-operative pain and speed recovery.

Claims

1. A method of transecting the transverse carpal ligament, said method comprising steps of

forming at least one portal in the skin,

inserting a flexible cutting element into the portal and passing it through the carpal tunnel, on one side of the ligament,

drawing the flexible cutting element taut, and then

moving the flexible cutting element against the ligament in such a way as to cut the ligament.

2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the flexible cutting element is a wire.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein the flexible cutting element is a polymeric filament.

4. A passer for passing a wire through the carpal tunnel beneath the transverse carpal ligament, said passer comprising

a blade sized to pass through the carpal tunnel, said blade having a tapered tip and a channel extending over substantially its entire length for receiving the wire and retaining it in the passer as the passer is passed through the carpal tunnel.

5. The passer of claim 4, in combination with a wire, one end of the wire being permanently affixed to said tapered tip.

6. The passer of claim 5, further comprising a hinge near the tip, for permitting the tip to flex out of the plane of the passer when tension is applied to the wire, to free the wire from the channel so that the passer may be reciprocated lengthwise to transect the ligament.

7. A surgical instrument for tightening a cutting wire which has been passed beneath a ligament during an endoscopic procedure, said instrument comprising

a body having first and second ends,

a rotatable knob, having a shaft, mounted on the body, and

means for guiding opposite ends of the wire around the respective ends of the body to the shaft,

whereby the ends of the wire may be wound around the shaft, so that the wire can be tautened by turning the knob, whereafter the body may be reciprocated lengthwise to cause the wire to cut the ligament.

8. The instrument of claim 7, wherein the body has a fixed pillar at one end and a cavity at the other end, and further comprising a movable pillar having a slide received within the cavity so that the distance between the pillars may be adjusted, and means for maintaining said adjusted distance.

9. The instrument of claim 8, wherein the holding means comprises a spring-loaded pin on the slide which may seat in one of several holes on the body.