BLADE INSERT ILLUMINATOR

• US 20120083663A1
• Filed: 11/18/2011
• Published: 04/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Invuity, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Invuity, Inc. (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: Grey, Thomas L., Vayser, Alex, Gasson, Jonathan G., Trauner, Kenneth C.
• Granted Patent: US 9,060,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/212
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0623 for off-axis illumination
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/02 for holding wounds open; Tractors specula A61B1/32 ; drainage appliances for wounds A61M27/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/0218 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0281, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/30 Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/80 Implements for cleaning or washing the skin of surgeons or patients

Abstract

An air gap retractor illumination system includes any suitable retractor with a channel in the blade to accommodate an air gap illuminator. The illuminator is preferably made from a suitable light conducting plastic material. The illuminator has active portions in which light passes and inactive or dead zones in which light does not pass. The illuminator is formed to have an air gap surrounding any active portion of the illuminator extending from the light input to the light output portion. The dead zones may include elements to allow the illuminator to securely engage the retractor. The light output portion of the illuminator contains from two to eight output zones, each zone having specially designed output optical structures that control and direct light to escape the illuminator to shine onto a predetermined area of interest or to form one or more predetermined shapes or footprints.

Claims

1. An illuminated surgical retractor comprising:

a surgical retractor blade adapted to engage and retract tissue; and

an illuminator blade coupled with the surgical retractor blade, the illuminator blade comprising a light input portion, a light conducting portion, and a light output portion, the input, conducting and output portions acting as a waveguide,

wherein light input portion receives light from a light source, and

wherein the light conducting portion conducts light from the light input portion to the light output section by total internal reflection, and

wherein the light output portion comprises optical structures that extract light therefrom and control and direct the extracted light to shine onto an area of predetermined shape, and

wherein the optical structures are molded into the light output portion so as to be integral therewith.

2. The illuminated surgical retractor of claim 1, wherein the light output portion comprises a plurality of parallel prism shapes each having a primary facet and a secondary facet.

3. The illuminated surgical retractor of claim 2, wherein the primary facets and the secondary facets are oriented relative to a plane substantially parallel to a rear surface of the illuminator blade such that the primary facet forms a primary angle relative to the plane and the secondary facet forms a secondary angle relative to the plane, and wherein at least some of the primary angles are acute.

4. The illuminated surgical retractor of claim 3, wherein at least some of the secondary angles are obtuse.