Enhanced follicular extraction punch and method

• US 8,753,354 B2
• Filed: 01/03/2006
• Issued: 06/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: John P. Cole
• Original Assignee: John P. Cole
• Inventors: Cole, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tuan V
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TIN DUC
• Application Number:
  US11/325,388
• Publication Number:
  US 20060178678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,087 Days
• Field of Search: 606/133, 606/131, 606/187, 606/184, 606/185, 606/167, 606/132, 606/170, 606/172, 606176-181
• US Class Current: 606/131
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/32053 Punch like cutting instruments, e.g. using a cylindrical or oval knife A61B17/326 takes precedence; trepans A61B17/1695; for use on the cornea A61F9/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/322 Skin grafting apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3403 Needle locating or guiding means guides for suture needles A61B17/0482; guiding or tracking by nuclear magnetic resonance G01R33/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3468 for implanting or removing devices, e.g. prostheses, implants, seeds, wires devices for implanting seeds A61M37/0069
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3496 Protecting sleeves or inner probes; Retractable tips for protecting body piercing guide needles A61M25/0612
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00752 Hair removal or transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00902 transparent or translucent
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00969 used for transplantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3492 against the outside of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/036 abutting on tissue or skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/062 penetration depth

Abstract

Provided herein is an apparatus and method useful for surgical removal of mammalian tissue at specific depths and specific angles. In one or more implementations, an extraction instrument having a main body, a nipple portion, a punch, and an actuator may be utilized to extract one or more hair follicles.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a main body comprising a first bore disposed between first and second ends of said main body;

a nipple portion comprising a first end portion coupled to said first end of said main body and a tip portion, the nipple portion comprising a second bore disposed within said tip portion;

a punch, having an interior surface, for extracting one or more hair follicles along said interior surface of said punch, said punch comprising a first punch end and a second punch end and having a substantially cylindrical shape slidably disposed within said second bore, and wherein said punch comprises a substantially uniform cylindrical cutting edge positioned substantially perpendicular to an axis extending between said first and second ends of said punch;

an actuator in direct communication with said first end of said punch to displace said punch along an axis of said second bore, in response to adjustment of said actuator, to fix a distance by which said second punch end portion extends beyond said tip portion of said nipple portion; and

a stabilizer disposed within said main body between said nipple portion and said actuator, wherein said punch extends through a bore of said stabilizer, said stabilizer having an outer surface, a substantially full length of said outer surface being in direct communication with an interior surface of said main body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacement of said actuator along said axis is controlled by rotation of said actuator about said axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said displacement of said actuator along said axis is capable of changing substantially proportionally with respect to said rotation.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second end of said punch comprises a flat end or an angled end.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said punch is translatable along said axis in response to rotation of said actuator.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said nipple portion further comprises an inner surface and wherein said second end of said punch is in communication with at least a portion of said inner surface of said nipple portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein displacement of said punch along said axis is adjustable in a range between 0 and 8 mm in response to rotation of said actuator.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said actuator further comprises a head portion having at least one first depth indicator.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said first end of said main body further comprises at least one second depth indicator capable of alignment with said first depth indicator.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a first diameter of said first end of said punch is greater than a second diameter said second end of said punch.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said main body further comprises a visible graduated scale.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said actuator further comprises an indicator capable of aligning with a graduated scale.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said tip portion further comprises a lip portion capable of contacting skin of a patient.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said lip portion limits the depth of penetration of said punch into the skin of a patient.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the second end of the punch extends beyond the lip portion a predetermined length.

16. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacement of said actuator along said axis is controllable in response to a mechanical force acting on said actuator.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacement of said actuator along said axis is controllable in response to a hydraulic force acting on said actuator.

18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacement of said actuator along said axis is controllable in response to a pneumatic force acting on said actuator.

19. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein displacement of said actuator along said axis is controllable in response to an electromagnetic force acting on said actuator.

20. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ring disposed over said actuator.