Retractor for soft tissue for example brain tissue

• US 3,882,855 A
• Filed: 11/12/1973
• Issued: 05/13/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harold D. Portnoy, Rudolf R. Schulte
• Original Assignee: Harold D. Portnoy, Rudolf R. Schulte
• Inventors: Schulte, Rudolf R., Portnoy, Harold D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Laylon, Henry S.
• Application Number:
  US05/414,909
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 128/20
• US Class Current: 600/206
• 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: A61L 31/125 having a macromolecular matrix

Abstract

A retractor for tissue comprising a deformable metal blade having a pair of opposite faces and a peripheral edge bounding and interconnecting the faces. A sheath comprising a flexible material which is non-adherent to brain tissue, such as silicon elastomer, includes a cover portion that covers at least part of the blade, having an exposed bearing face for bearing against soft tissue, such as brain tissue, and a flexible skirt portion extending from the said cover portion and projecting beyond the peripheral edge. The sheath may be reinforced by a mesh and have an irregular surface, if desired.

Claims

1. A retractor for tissue comprising:

a deformable metal blade having a pair of opposite faces and a peripheral edge bounding and interconnecting said faces; and

a sheath enveloping at least a part of said blade, said sheath comprising a cover portion covering at least said part of both faces of said blade and having an exposed bearing face for bearing against brain tissue, and a skirt portion extending from said cover portion and projecting to a free edge beyond said peripheral edge, said portions comprising a material which is non-adherent to brain tissue the skirt being thinner adjacent to its free edge than it is adjacent to the peripheral edge of the blade and being sufficiently flexible as to bend upon contact with soft tissue such as brain tissue without cutting, tearing, or bruising said tissue.

2. A retractor according to claim 1 in which the bearing face is irregular in surface contour.

3. A retractor according to claim 1 in which the material is one selected from the group consisting of silicone elastomer, Polyethylene, mylar, teflon and Kel-F.

4. A retractor according to claim 1 in which the material is silicone elastomer.

5. A retractor according to claim 4 in which the cover portion includes a mesh reinforcement which is contained within said silicone elastomer.

6. A retractor according to claim 5 in which the mesh is dacron.

7. A retractor according to claim 1 in which the sheath comprises a pair of sheets of silicone elastomer, each overlaying a said part of a respective face, and including an extension that projects beyond said peripheral edge, said extensions being joined together to form said skirt portion.

8. A retractor according to claim 7 in which the extension of one layer projects farther beyond the peripheral edge than the extension of the other layer, whereby the skirt is thicker adjacent to the peripheral edge than at the free edge of the skirt.

9. A retractor according to claim 8 in which the bearing face is irregular in surface contour.

10. A retractor according to claim 7 in which the cover portion includes a mesh reinforcement which is contained within said silicone elastomer.

11. A retractor according to claim 10 in which the mesh reinforcement extends into the skirt portion.

12. A retractor according to claim 11 in which the bearing face is irregular in surface contour.