DISPOSABLE SURGICAL RETRACTORS

• US 3,729,006 A
• Filed: 05/27/1971
• Issued: 04/24/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joseph R. Wilder, Maurice S. Kanbar
• Original Assignee: Joseph R. Wilder, Maurice S. Kanbar
• Inventors: Kanbar, Maurice S., Wilder, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pace, Channing L.
• Application Number:
  US05/147,387
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 128/20,303
• US Class Current: 600/210
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/048 obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 31/06 obtained otherwise than by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds A61L31/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 23/06 Polyethene

Abstract

A hand-held surgical retractor fabricated of resilient plastic material, the retractor being light-weight, glare-free and functionally superior to existing metallic instruments. The retractor includes a non-skid blade whose inner surface is slightly concave, the blade having an array of circular apertures therein whereby when the blade is pressed against tissue, the tissue bellies into the blade to provide a contact therebetween which resists displacement even when low pulling forces are exerted on the retractor.

Claims

1. A light-weight, glare-free, hand-held surgical retractor adapted securely to engage a bone-free tissue surface without injury thereto, said retractor comprising the following components:

a blade, a handle, and a shank interconnecting the handle to the blade, all of the components being formed integrally of a resilient, high-strength, opaque polymeric plastic material having a non-reflective surface to prevent glare from light impinging thereon, the blade having a generally rectangular shape, said shank being attached to the blade adjacent the center of one the long edges thereof and extending at approximately a right angle from the general plane of the blade, said rectangular blade being slightly concave with respect to tissue engageable thereby, and having an array of apertures formed therein, whereby when the blade is manually pulled against the bone-free tissue surface, the tissue bellies into the blade to form a contact therebetween which resists displacement.

2. A retractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shank is formed along its sides with raised reinforcing ribs which merge into the edges of the blade.

3. A retractor as set forth in claim 2, wherein said handle is in the form of a pistol grip which extends at an angle of about 30* with respect to said shank on the same side thereof as the blade, whereby when the handle is held by the fingers of a hand to pLace the blade in the vertical plane, the shank lies in a horizontal plane above the hand.

4. A retractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein the walls of said apertures are tapered to flare from the to the surface of the blade opposite the shank.

5. A retractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said shank is provided with a pair of lateral ears to serve as thumb rests.

6. A retractor as set forth in claim 1, wherein said handle has a flat triangular configuration and is provided with an elongated opening parallel to the base thereof.