Tissue pneumatic separator structure and method
First Claim
1. A tissue separator comprising a handle, a stem having a longitudinal axis secured to the handle, tip means retained on one end of the stem including blunt tissue separating means at one end thereof for mechanically separating tissue along natural cleavage planes without cutting of the tissue on nudging of the tissue with the tissue separating means, wherein the handle, stem and tip are hollow to provide for the flow of a fluid medium into the hollow handle, and wherein the tip is not fixed relative to the stem but is a floating tip and means for moving the floating tip axially relative to the stem in accordance with the pressure of the fluid medium acting in balance on the tip.
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Abstract
Tissue separator structure and method which in its simplest form comprises a mechanical nudger on the end of a stem for mechanically separating tissue and in the preferred embodiment includes a fluid medium passing through the stem and out of a floating tip to separate the tissue with the directed, controlled pressure of the fluid medium and/or nudging by the floating tip. In a more sophisticated embodiment of the invention, plural fluid medium forces are provided on the tissue to be separated to perform separating and clearing operations and in further embodiments, the area of the tissue being separated may be moistened and/or fluid and debris removed from the area of tissue separation. The stem may be disposable in accordance with the invention. Further in accordance with the method of the invention, tissue is separated by mechanical nudging and/or by means of a fluid medium under pressure. The method may include the steps of moistening the tissue to be separated or withdrawing fluid and debris from the area of the tissue to be separated. In one modification of the method of the invention, the structure of the invention may be used to clean the teeth with fluid pressure from a water faucet or the like and/or the water pressure regulated and/or formed in pulses.
71 Citations
31 Claims
- 1. A tissue separator comprising a handle, a stem having a longitudinal axis secured to the handle, tip means retained on one end of the stem including blunt tissue separating means at one end thereof for mechanically separating tissue along natural cleavage planes without cutting of the tissue on nudging of the tissue with the tissue separating means, wherein the handle, stem and tip are hollow to provide for the flow of a fluid medium into the hollow handle, and wherein the tip is not fixed relative to the stem but is a floating tip and means for moving the floating tip axially relative to the stem in accordance with the pressure of the fluid medium acting in balance on the tip.
- 10. A tissue pneumatic separator comprising a body assembly including a rear pressure regulator subassembly and a front manifold subsassembly, a valve unit connected to the manifold for metering regulated fluid medium to and from the manifold subassembly, a stem, stem retaining structure for securing the stem to the valve unit, a floating tip, means for floating said tip on said fluid medium, a tip retainer for retaining the tip on the stem, and means for securing the tissue pneumatic separator to a source of fluid medium under pressure.
- 29. Disposable structure for a tissue pneumatic separator comprising an elongated stem, a stem retaining member for securing the stem to the tissue penumatic separator and a tip on the stem for separating tissue having a piston portion and a guiding shank, said stem and tip having an opening therethrough through which a fluid medium may be passed to separate tissue and means operable between the stem and tip for floating the tip on the fluid medium passing peripherally around the tip piston portion and its guiding shank.
Specification