Surgical retractor

• US 5,885,210 A
• Filed: 09/21/1998
• Issued: 03/23/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Victor M. Cox
• Original Assignee: Victor M. Cox
• Inventors: Cox, Victor M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Jeffrey A.
• Application Number:
  US09/157,978
• Time in Patent Office: 183 Days
• Field of Search: 600/201, 600/214, 600/219, 600/224, 600/226, 600/235
• US Class Current: 600/214
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0206 with antagonistic arms as supports for retractor elements

Abstract

A self-retaining hand-held surgical retractor includes a main pair of blades mounted to a pair of fulcrumed levers. The proximal ends of two longitudinally extending bars are mounted to a toggle link carried between the handles. The bars pass through arms projecting from the levers above the plane containing the levers. A pair of supplemental blades are mounted to the bars. Closing the handles directly causes both the main pair of blades and the supplemental pair of blades to recede from each other, and also causes the supplemental pair of blades to move rearwardly from the main pair of blades through the action of the toggle link.

Claims

1. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor, comprising:

a first lever and a second lever fulcrumed together between their ends at a main pivot, said main pivot being between a front portion and a rear portion of said first lever, and said main pivot likewise being between a front portion and a rear portion of said second lever;

a first retractor blade mounted to said first lever front portion and a second retractor blade mounted to said second lever front portion, said first and second levers being shaped such that said first and second retractor blades recede from each other responsive to the approach of said first lever rear portion to said second lever rear portion;

a first arm having a proximal end mounted to said first lever front portion and a second arm having a proximal end mounted to said second lever front portion, said first and second arms projecting toward each other;

a toggle joint mounted between said first and second lever rear portions, said toggle joint comprising a knee which is urged in a direction generally parallel to said levers responsive to the approach of said first lever rear portion to said second lever rear portion;

first and second bars each having a proximal end mounted to said toggle joint, said first bar being slidably retained by said first arm and said second bar being slidably retained by said second arm; and

,

a third retractor blade mounted to said first bar and a fourth retractor blade mounted to said second bar, whereby said third and fourth retractor blades are pulled away from each other by said arms and are moved by said bars along with said knee in response to the mutual approach of said first and second lever rear portions.

2. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor as set out in claim 1, further comprising a rachet-and pawl retainer mounted to said first and second lever rear portions.

3. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor as set out in claim 1, wherein the length of a blade relative to the plane in which the handles are disposed differs from the length of another blade with respect to said plane.

4. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor as set out in claim 1, wherein said knee is urged rearwardly with respect to said levers as said lever rear ends approach each other.

5. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor as set out in claim 1, wherein said arms each comprise a distal end located out of a plane generally containing said levers, said bars being carried out of the plane of said levers except at the toggle joint.

6. A hand-held dilating surgical retractor, comprising a toggle link in mechanical connection between a pair of handles and a plurality of blades.

7. A retractor as set out in claim 6, wherein said toggle link is disposed between and equidistant from said handles.

8. A retractor as set out in claim 6, further comprising bars connecting said toggle link and said plurality of blades.

9. A retractor as set out in claim 8, wherein said bars are substantially disposed on one side of the handles and the blades project to the other side of the handles.