Method and article for removing splinters with a disposable lancet

• US 5,334,195 A
• Filed: 02/06/1991
• Issued: 08/02/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gollobin, Peter
• Original Assignee: Gollobin, Peter
• Inventors: Gollobin, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosenbaum, C. Fred
• Assistant Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US07/651,148
• Time in Patent Office: 1,273 Days
• Field of Search: 606/131, 606/133, 606/167, 606/181, 606/182, 606/183, 606/184, 606/185
• US Class Current: 606/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/50 Instruments, other than pincettes or toothpicks, for removing foreign bodies from the human body locating otherwise A61B5/06; locating by radiation A61B6/00; removing calculi A61B17/22; from the eyes A61F9/00709
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable

Abstract

A method and article for removing splinters where a disposable lancet is used to pierce the patient'"'"'s skin in an area surrounding or adjacent to the splinter and remove the splinter. The method also provides for loosening the skin in the area adjacent to the splinter before removal by tearing the skin with the sharp point of the lancet.

Claims

1. A method for removing a splinter from a patient'"'"'s skin comprising:

removing the lancet from an individually wrapped pre-sterilized package,

piercing the patient'"'"'s skin in an area adjacent to said splinter with a hand-held, disposable, elongated metal, generally flat lancet, having a handle portion at one end and a flat V-shaped point at its other end said flat point of said lancet having a length in the range of 2/64" to 5/16", said lancet having an overall length in the range of 0.375" to 2.50", said lancet having an overall width in the range of 1/8" to 5/8'"'"', and said lancet having a thickness in the range of 0.003" to 0.015",

tearing the patient'"'"'s skin by piercing the skin adjacent to the splinter and then lifting the lancet in a direction perpendicular to the entry point in the patient'"'"'s skin in a repetitive fashion so as to loosen the skin around the splinter, and

thereafter placing said flat point of said lancet under said splinter and lifting it away from the skin so as to dislodge said splinter.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lancet has a set of raised knurls along said handle portion to aid in manipulating the device.