Surgical retractor assembly
US6530883B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 1, 2001 |
| Grant date | Mar 11, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 1, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61B17/02
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A retractor systems includes a retractor blade with a blade portion and a handle portion that fit together in a modular way to allow different blades to be removably and interchangeably affixed to the handle assembly. A dovetail mounts the blade in a plane substantially transverse or perpendicular to the shaft. Preferably, the handle assembly translates within a multi-position locking mechanism to allow adjustment of the handle extension along one or more axes, while the in-plane swing of the blade about the shaft conveniently positions the tip of the blade under tissue to be retracted when bone or hard tissue may impede access along a retraction direction parallel to the axis of the shaft. The interchangeable blades may have different sizes between approximately 5 and 15 centimeters length, and are manually affixed to the handle to set the reach and scope of the retractor for a particular operation. Preferably a blade is formed of a radiolucent polymer, permitting unobstructed imaging when the retractor is occluded during surgery on a joint, or during an anterior approach to the spine. The blade may be formed with its surface dished or curved in one or more directions, or may have…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.