Surgical rongeur having a removable storage member

• US 7,011,663 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2004
• Issued: 03/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/28/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary K. Michelson
• Original Assignee: Gary K. Michelson
• Inventors: Michelson, Gary Karlin
• Primary Examiner(s): THALER, MICHAEL H
• Application Number:
  US10/765,341
• Publication Number:
  US 20040186499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 606/83, 606/184, 606/170, 606/171, 606/79
• US Class Current: 606/83
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/0096 Casings for storing test samples A61B10/0038 and A61B10/0045 take precedence; preservation of living parts of the human or animal body A01N1/02; containers for retaining a material to be analysed B01L3/50; containers for enzymology or microbiology C12M1/16; swab-sampler being part of enzymology or microbiology container C12M1/30
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/025 for taking bone, bone marrow or cartilage samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1611 the two jaw elements being integral with respective elongate shaft elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1671 for the spine
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32002 with continuously rotating, oscillating or reciprocating cutting instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2010/0225 for taking multiple samples
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0023 disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0046 with a releasable handle; with handle and operating part separable for prosthetic joint-implanting tools A61F2/4603
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00473 Distal part, e.g. tip or head A61B2017/00464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00734 battery operated
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2923 Toothed members, e.g. rack and pinion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0813 Accessories designed for easy sterilising, i.e. re-usable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/03 Automatic limiting or abutting means, e.g. for safety

Abstract

An improved multi-bite bone cutting rongeur with an ultrathin foot plate and a disposable cutting element and storage chamber unit is disclosed. The present invention has an integrated cutting element and storage chamber unit that is truly disposable, rather than merely replaceable. The present invention requires the use of no tools or special assembly. The chamber is simply placed onto the shaft whereby it is immediately locked into place by the use of the instrument.

Claims

1. A rongeur for cutting bone or cartilage, comprising:

a shaft terminating in a foot plate;

a carrier member in slidable relationship to said shaft, said carrier member having a leading end, a trailing end opposite said leading end, and an open interior, said leading end having an opening in communication with said open interior;

a tubular member configured to be removably inserted at least in part into said open interior of said carrier member, said tubular member having an open end with a cutting edge adapted to contact said foot plate and cut pieces of bone or cartilage, said tubular member having a storage area proximate said cutting edge in communication with said open end, said storage area configured to collect and store at least one cut piece of bone or cartilage, said shaft being in slidable relationship with said carrier member without passing through said tubular member when said tubular member is inserted at least in part into said open interior of said carrier member; and

a mechanism for providing reciprocal motion of said carrier member and said shaft relative to one another.

2. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said carrier member is removably coupled to at least a portion of said shaft.

3. The rongeur of claim 2, further comprising a lock for slidably locking said carrier member to said shaft.

4. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said storage area increases in cross sectional area at least in part from said leading end to said trailing end of said carrier member.

5. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member includes a second opening in communication with said storage area, said second opening adapted to be closed by a portion of said rongeur when in use.

6. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said carrier member includes at least a portion thereof that is replaceable.

7. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member is disposable.

8. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member is configured to store multiple cut pieces of bone or cartilage.

9. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said mechanism includes a handle for providing said reciprocal motion of said carrier member and said shaft relative to one another.

10. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said carrier member is configured to be operatively coupled to at least one of a portion of said shaft and said mechanism.

11. The rongeur of claim 10, wherein sad tubular member is configured to hold the cut pieces of bone or cartilage upon uncoupling from at least one of said shaft and said mechanism.

12. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said carrier member is configured to prevent any of the cut pieces of bone or cartilage stored in said storage area from being ejected from said storage area while said rongeur is being used to cut the bone or cartilage.

13. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member comprises a metal.

14. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member extends from said carrier member when in use.

15. The rongeur of claim 1, wherein said tubular member includes at least one groove configured to engage a portion of said carrier member to hold said tubular member to said carrier member.