Foldable surgical retractor
First Claim
1. A foldable retractor, comprising:
- an arcuate deformable frame defined from a first arm extending through a first portion of an outer circumference of the frame, and a second arm defining a remaining portion of the outer circumference;
the first and second arms each including opposite first and second end portions, wherein the respective first end portions and the respective second end portions are hingedly connected together; and
wherein the first and second arms of the frame are biased toward a first configuration wherein the combined first and second arms are aligned substantially continuously through the combined first and second end portions and the frame extends through substantially a single plane,further comprising a deformable membrane secured around at least a portion of the arcuate frame to form a continuous restraining structure across a central opening of the frame,wherein the first and second arms may be manipulated to a second configuration wherein the first and second arms substantially overlap each other, wherein when the frame is in the second configuration, the first and second end portions of each of the first and second arms may be pulled away from each other to transfer the frame to a third configuration wherein the first and second arms are substantially elongate and the retractor is capable of extending within a substantially straight lumen, and wherein the first and second arms are biased to return to the second configuration as the retractor is withdrawn from the lumen.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A foldable retractor is provided. The retractor includes an arcuate deformable frame that is defined from a first arm extending through a first portion of an outer circumference of the frame, and a second arm that defines a remaining portion of the outer circumference. The first and second arms each include opposite first and second end portions, wherein the respective first end portions and the respective second end portions are hingedly connected together. The first and second arms of the frame are biased toward a first configuration wherein the combined first and second arms are aligned substantially continuously through the combined first and second end portions and the frame extends through substantially a single plane.
1212 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A foldable retractor, comprising:
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an arcuate deformable frame defined from a first arm extending through a first portion of an outer circumference of the frame, and a second arm defining a remaining portion of the outer circumference; the first and second arms each including opposite first and second end portions, wherein the respective first end portions and the respective second end portions are hingedly connected together; and wherein the first and second arms of the frame are biased toward a first configuration wherein the combined first and second arms are aligned substantially continuously through the combined first and second end portions and the frame extends through substantially a single plane, further comprising a deformable membrane secured around at least a portion of the arcuate frame to form a continuous restraining structure across a central opening of the frame, wherein the first and second arms may be manipulated to a second configuration wherein the first and second arms substantially overlap each other, wherein when the frame is in the second configuration, the first and second end portions of each of the first and second arms may be pulled away from each other to transfer the frame to a third configuration wherein the first and second arms are substantially elongate and the retractor is capable of extending within a substantially straight lumen, and wherein the first and second arms are biased to return to the second configuration as the retractor is withdrawn from the lumen. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 16)
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6. A foldable retractor, comprising:
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an arcuate deformable frame defined from a first arm extending through a first portion of an outer circumference of the frame, and a second arm defining a remaining portion of the outer circumference; the first and second arms each including opposite first and second end portions, wherein the respective first end portions and the respective second end portions are hingedly connected together; and wherein the first and second arms of the frame are biased toward a first configuration wherein the combined first and second arms are aligned substantially continuously through the combined first and second end portions and the frame extends through substantially a single plane, wherein each of the respective first and second end portions are foldably attached together with a hinge, wherein each hinge is disposed upon the respective first end portions or second end portions of each arm, wherein each hinge is fixed to a locally concave edge of each of the first and second arms when the frame is in the first configuration. - View Dependent Claims (7)
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8. A foldable retractor, comprising:
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a relatively flexible arcuate frame comprising a first arm defining a first portion of a circumference of the frame, and a second arm defining a remaining portion of the circumference of the frame, each of the first and second arms comprising first and second end portions disposed upon opposite ends of the respective first and second arm, wherein each of the first end portions are hingedly connected together and each of the second end portions are hingedly connected together such that the frame is biased to a first relatively planar configuration, and the first and second arms may be folded with respect to each other to a second configuration wherein the first and second arms are disposed in substantially the same orientation; further comprising a deformable membrane secured around at least a portion of the arcuate frame to form a continuous restraining structure across a central opening of the frame, wherein the membrane urges the first and second arms into the first orientation, wherein one or both of the hinged connections between each of the first end portions and each of the second end portions includes a lock that maintains the first and second arms in the first configuration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A foldable retractor, comprising:
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an arcuate deformable frame defined from a first arm extending through a first portion of an outer circumference of the frame, and a second arm defining a remaining portion of the outer circumference; the first and second arms each including opposite first and second end portions, wherein the respective first end portions and the respective second end portions are hingedly connected together; and wherein the first and second arms of the frame are biased toward a first configuration wherein the combined first and second arms are aligned substantially continuously through the combined first and second end portions and the frame extends through substantially a single plane, further comprising a deformable membrane secured around at least a portion of the arcuate frame to form a continuous restraining structure across a central opening of the frame, wherein each of the respective first and second end portions are foldably attached together with a hinge, wherein each hinge is disposed upon the respective first end portions or second end portions of each arm, wherein one of the first and second hinges is fixed to a locally concave edge of each of the first and second arms when the frame is in the first configuration.
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Specification