Surgical penetration instrument with transparent blades and tip cover
First Claim
1. A surgical penetration instrument for penetrating bodily tissue during a surgical procedure;
- said instrument comprising an elongated shaft having a distal end;
a penetrating tip in communication with said shaft distal end and extending distally therefrom, said penetrating tip having a surface configuration shaped to enlarge an opening in said bodily tissue as said instrument is advanced distally into said tissue; and
a first transparent blade extending outwardly from said penetrating tip, wherein said penetrating tip and said first transparent blade are integrally formed from a single piece of material.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical penetration instrument has an elongated shaft and a penetrating tip extending from the distal end of the shaft. A blade extends outwardly from the penetrating tip. The blade is transparent. When the penetrating tip is transparent, the tip not only facilitates penetration through bodily tissue but also acts as an imaging element in conjunction with an endoscope extending through the shaft of the instrument to simultaneously visualize the surgical field during penetration. Significantly, unlike a conventional metallic blade, the transparent blade will not obstruct the field of view as the instrument is advanced. When the penetrating tip is plastic, and the blade is composed of a transparent plastic, the blade can be joined to the tip using conventional plastic processing methods such as injection molding, thus reducing manufacturing costs incurred if a metallic blade were used. Also disclosed is a surgical penetration instrument with a plastic penetrating tip and a protective cap fitting over and enclosing a portion of the tip to prevent or lessen the possibility of breaking, cracking or otherwise damaging the tip.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A surgical penetration instrument for penetrating bodily tissue during a surgical procedure;
- said instrument comprising an elongated shaft having a distal end;
a penetrating tip in communication with said shaft distal end and extending distally therefrom, said penetrating tip having a surface configuration shaped to enlarge an opening in said bodily tissue as said instrument is advanced distally into said tissue; and
a first transparent blade extending outwardly from said penetrating tip, wherein said penetrating tip and said first transparent blade are integrally formed from a single piece of material. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
- said instrument comprising an elongated shaft having a distal end;
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19. A surgical penetration instrument for penetrating bodily tissue during a surgical procedure;
- said instrument comprising a generally cylindrical, elongated shaft having a distal end and a shaft diameter;
a plastic penetrating tip connected to said shaft distal end, said tip having a generally circular base adjacent said shaft distal end, said base having a base diameter substantially the same as said shaft diameter, said tip extending distally from said base and having an exterior surface configuration shaped to enlarge an opening in said bodily tissue as said instrument is advanced distally into said tissue;
a protective cap sized to fit over and enclose at least a portion of said tip;
cap receiving means on said exterior surface of said tip for securely receiving said cap; and
cap attaching means on said cap for attaching said cap onto said cap receiving means. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
- said instrument comprising a generally cylindrical, elongated shaft having a distal end and a shaft diameter;
Specification