VACUUM ROTARY DISSECTOR

• US 3,618,611 A
• Filed: 03/05/1969
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Urban Engineering Co.
• Original Assignee: Julius C. Urban
• Inventors: Urban, Julius C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pace, Channing L.
• Application Number:
  US04/804,598
• Time in Patent Office: 979 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2B,304,305,310,311,317,133,240 285/277 30/29.5
• US Class Current: 606/170
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments

Abstract

The device is a surgical instrument appropriately termed a vacuum rotary dissector, for purposes of performing delicate surgical operations such as brain operations for removing undesired tissue, etc. A thin elongated tubular member or sleeve which is motor driven, rotates within another elongated sleeve having a bullet-shaped end with a side opening in it. At the end of the inner sleeve, there is a cutout providing side edges which are cutting edges that rotate adjacent to the side opening in the outer sleeve, the tip end of the inner sleeve also being bullet shaped to conform to the interior contour of the tip and of the outer sleeve. The improvements reside in the contours of the tip ends of the sleeves, the particular shape of the side opening in the outer sleeve, and the particular configuration of the cutting edges or surfaces on the inner sleeve. Also, axial pressure is maintained on the outer sleeve to urge its end surfaces into engagement with surfaces of the tip of the inner sleeve.

Claims

1. A surgical instrument comprising:

a support;

an outer tubular member extending from said support and having a closed generally hemispherical distal end and a first laterally directed opening adjacent its distal end and extending axially along said outer tubular member and partially along said generally hemispherical end;

an inner tubular member rotatably mounted in said outer tubular member and having a complementary generally hemispherical end frictionally bearing on an inner complementary surface of the distal end of said outer tubular member;

said inner tubular member having a second laterally directed opening axially coextensive with said first opening and defining generally axially extending cutting edges coincident with the inner surface of said outer tubular member;

drive means on said support for continuously rotating said inner tubular member relative to said support and said outer tubular member; and

biasing means resiliently urging said tubular members axially relative to each other to maintain said hemispherical ends in close surface contact.

2. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting edges include a pointed portion axially intermediate the ends of said openings.

3. An instrument as defined in claim 1 including means for applying suction to the interior of said inner tubular member.

4. An instrument as defined in claim 3 including means for selectively varying the degree of suction.

5. An instrument as defined in claim 1 including means for selectively rotating said outer tubular member relative to said support to direct said first opening in a selected direction.

6. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said cutting edges are on oPposite sides of said second opening and wherein said drive means are reversible.

7. An instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprise spring-urged ball detents on said support engageable with recess means on said outer tubular member, said ball detent means also releasably holding said outer tubular member on said support.