Surgical instruments which are especially useful for ophthalmic surgical procedures, and methods of making the same
First Claim
1. A surgical instrument comprising a longitudinally sectioned needle member establishing respective needle segments, and an outer sleeve member which exerts a circumferentially radial compression onto said needle segments yet allows for relative longitudinal movements between at least one and another of said needle segments.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Surgical instrument include a longitudinally sectioned needle member establishing respective needle segments, and an outer sleeve member which exerts a circumferentially radial compression onto the needle segments yet allows for relative longitudinal movements between at least one and another of the needle segments. The needle member may be longitudinally bifurcated so as to establish said one and another needle segments. Alternatively, the needle member may be longitudinally trifurcated so as to establish a pair of stationary outer needle segments, and an intermediate needle segment sandwiched between but longitudinally moveable relative to said outer needle segments. Thus, collectively the needle segments define respective opposed longitudinal bearing edges which contact one another and thereby allow for one of the needle segments to be moveable longitudinally relative to another of the needle segments. As such, the lumen within the sectioned needle member may be maximized while the overall dimension of the instrument is minimized.
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Citations
20 Claims
- 1. A surgical instrument comprising a longitudinally sectioned needle member establishing respective needle segments, and an outer sleeve member which exerts a circumferentially radial compression onto said needle segments yet allows for relative longitudinal movements between at least one and another of said needle segments.
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12. A method of making a surgical instrument comprising:
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(i) longitudinally sectioning an elongate needle member to thereby establish respective needle segments, and (ii) positioning the needle segments within an outer sleeve member and allowing the sleeve member to circumferentially radially compress the needle segments yet allow for relative longitudinal movements between at least one and another of the needle segments. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification