RADIOLUCENT SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

• US 20120316430A1
• Filed: 06/10/2011
• Published: 12/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wichita State University
• Original Assignee: Cibor, Inc.
• Inventors: Aldag, Thomas David, Meyer, Andrea Christine
• Application Number:
  US13/157,785
• Publication Number:
  US 20120316430A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/424
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0092 for X-rays

Abstract

A radiolucent surgical instrument comprising an internal stiffener composed of a first composite material having a first modulus and an overmold component formed around at least a portion of the internal stiffener and composed of a second composite material having a second modulus. The first modulus may be greater than the second modulus. The overmold component may be formed around the internal stiffener via injection molding. The internal stiffener may be a structural laminate fabricated by composite ply lay-up and cure and may have a bending stiffness between approximately 10 MSI and 16 MSI. The overmold component may be a short fiber reinforced thermoplastic form and may have a non-uniform distribution of thickness. The surgical instrument may include, for example, retractors, forceps, elevators, dissectors, suction tubes, drill guides, or separators.

Claims

1. A radiolucent surgical instrument comprising:

an internal stiffener composed of a first composite material having a first modulus; and

an overmold component formed around at least a portion of the internal stiffener and composed of a second composite material having a second modulus, wherein the first modulus is greater than the second modulus.

2. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the overmold component is formed around the internal stiffener via injection molding.

3. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the internal stiffener is a structural laminate fabricated by composite ply lay-up and cure.

4. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the bending stiffness of the internal stiffener is between approximately 10 MSI and 16 MSI.

5. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the second composite material is a short fiber reinforced thermoplastic form.

6. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the internal stiffener is connected to the overmold component via welding.

7. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the overmold component has a non-uniform distribution of thickness.

8. The surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the surgical instrument is at least one of a retractor, forceps, an elevator, a dissector, a suction tube, a drill guide, and a separator.

9. The surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising an x-ray marker made of a non-radiolucent material, such that x-ray marker is locatable via x-ray.

10. A radiolucent surgical instrument comprising:

an internal stiffener composed of a first composite material having a first modulus and formed by way of composite ply lay-up; and

an overmold component formed around the internal stiffener by way of injection molding and composed of a second composite material having a second modulus, wherein the first modulus is greater than the second modulus.

11. The radiolucent surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the internal stiffener is a structural laminate cured under heat and consolidation pressure.

12. The radiolucent surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the bending stiffness of the internal stiffener is between approximately 10 MSI and 16 MSI.

13. The radiolucent surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the second composite material is a short fiber reinforced thermoplastic form.

14. The radiolucent surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the overmold component has a non-uniform distribution of thickness.

15. The surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the surgical instrument is at least one of a retractor, forceps, an elevator, a dissector, a suction tube, a drill guide, and a separator.

16. The radiolucent surgical instrument of claim 10, wherein the surgical instrument is a Hohman retractor having a handle portion with a tapering cross-section.

17. The surgical instrument of claim 10, further comprising an x-ray marker made of a non-radiolucent material, such that x-ray marker is locatable via x-ray.

18. A method of forming a radiolucent surgical instrument, the method comprising:

forming an internal stiffener via composite ply lay-up and cure;

placing the cured internal stiffener into a mold;

injecting composite material in liquid form into the mold and around the internal stiffener;

hardening the injected composite material into an overmold component of the surgical instrument; and

removing the mold from around the overmold component.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein a modulus of the internal stiffener is greater than a modulus of the overmold component.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising bonding the internal stiffener with the overmold component via welding.

21. A radiolucent surgical instrument comprising:

an internal stiffener; and

an overmold component formed around at least a portion of the internal stiffener.