US3256874A - Surgical instrument - Google Patents

Description

Q June 21, 1966 J. DE MARCO 3,256,874

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,0 [m1 I t d V l2 FIG 42 JOHN J. 51%???) 6M. J: JZMM June 21, 1966 J. J. DE MARCO 3,256,374

SURGICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Nov. 20, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOH/Y J. .UEMARCO United States Patent 3,256,874 SURGICAL INSTRUMENT John J. De Marco, 1840 S. Shore Drive, Erie, Pa. Filed Nov. .20, 1962, Ser. No. 238,977 1 Claim. (Cl. 128-2) The present invention relates to a tracheotome and, more particularly, to a biopsy knife for obtaining biopsies of the cervix of the uterus of human females.

- The use of the normal straight scalpel or knife for obtaining biopsies of the cervix of the uterus has many disadvantages. Because of the location and approach to the cervix of the uterus, it is difficult to properly position a straight scalpel to obtain a biopsy. Also, great care must be taken that the cut is not too deep, for a hemorrhage may be caused. Thus, it is a difficult task to make a biopsy cut of uniform depth of representative tissue with a straight scalpel, particularly when operating on the cervix of the uterus through the small restricted area of the vagina.

In the use of biopsy knives presently available, it is necessary for a surgeon to cut half of the conical biopsy from the cervix of the uterus and then to. change the posit-ion of his body in order to move his arm to the proper position for cutting the other half of the conical biopsy. This makes it inconvenient for the surgeon and, also, since his body is in an inconvenient position, lends the possibility of his making an error in the cut.

The present invention provides a knife handle which will hold any regular knife blade at each end. -It holds the blade at approximately a thirty degree angle which automatically excises a cone of the cervix as it incises. This degree of angulation makes the instrument more maneuverable than a straight handle in the restricted space of the vaginal canal.

By having a blade at an angle at each end which goes in a different direction, the entire three hundred sixty degrees of the cervix is readily incised to yield a smooth, intact conical biopsy. One end of the handle with blade Will easily incise one entire half of the cervix and, by changing to the other end, the remaining half of the cervix is likewise incised, thereby obtaining the'intact, smooth conical biopsy of the cervix. The handle is easily held in the middle by the surgeon and it permits the use of either end at either time by simply alternating one end or the other.

In this embodiment of the invention, a knife handle is shown which possesses approximately a thirty degree angle at the end which holds the double edged knife blade. This degree of angulation makes the instrument more maneuverable than a straight handle in the restricted space of the vaginal canal. Also, because of the angle, the instrument produces an automatic cone of tissue as it incises. With the use of a double edged knife blade, the instrument will incise in two directions instead of one which provides for an up and down as well as a right and left cutting motion, facilitating complete conization encirclement of the cervix.

In another embodiment of the invention, a pointed knife blade is provided With a double cutting edge. It fits on any standard knife handle and can be used in any type of surgery where such a blade could be employed. It is especially desirable for use with the single ended cervical conization scalpel Where it is useful for conization of the cervix which requires cutting at an angle around a complete circle in the restricted area of the vaginal canal.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to Provide an improved biopsy knife.

Another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which is shaped to permit ease of insertion and manipulation in the cervix of the uterus.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which cuts a specimen of a definite continuous conical shape from the uterus with a minimum of movement of the operating surgeons body.

A further object of the invention is to provide a surgeons biopsy knife with a blade in combination therewith disposed at a particular angle to the handle.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a biopsy knife with a blade disposed at a particular angle to the hand-1e in combination with a double edged blade on the knife.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife having a blade on each end thereof.

Still yet a further object of the invention is to provide a biopsy knife which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and simple and efficient to use.

With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists of the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportions, and minor details of construction without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a single edged blade according to the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the blade mounted on a two ended handle such as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial view of the handle with- I out the blade thereon;

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a double ended handle having both ends similar to the end shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side view of the handle shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 for mounting the doubled edged blade shown in FIGS. 7A and 9;

FIG. 7A is a top partial view of an end of the handle shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 with a double edged blade thereon; and

FIG. 9 is a top view of the double edged blade unmounted.

Now referring more particularly to the drawings, the embodiments of the invention each incorporate the same type of knife holder on a handle. A handle 12 has a knife receiving end indicated at 14. The principal difference between the embodiment of the handle shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 from the embodiment shown in FIGS. 7 and 8' is that the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8 is single ended for use with a double edged blade while the embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 is doubled ended for use with a single edged blade.

The knife receiving ends 14 are of a conventional type except that they are disposed at an improved angle to the handle 12 at approximately thirty degrees. Prior handles have held their blades at a considerably greater or a consider-ably lesser angle for one reason or another. A conventional groove 18 is received in an opening or hole 26 in the blade. That is, an enlarged portion 27 of the end 14 slips through an enlarged part 22 of the opening 26 and the material of the end 14 defining the the groove 18 overlies the marginal portions defining the enlarged portion 27 of the opening. A shoulder 29 then rests against the inside of the enlarged part of the opening.

The knife receiving end 14 is disposed at, an angle of approximately thirty degrees to the handle 12. It has been discovered that an angle of approximately thirty degrees is a much more natural angle at which the knife may be held for a biopsy on the cervix and, therefore, a more precise operation can be performed.

The knife receiving end 14 has a shoulder 24 which rests against an end 28 of the knife 36. The knife 36 has a single sharpened edge 23 and the opposite side thereof is dull.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the knife has a cutting edge 160 and another cutting edge 161 which are disposed on opposite sides so that the surgeon can cut one-half of the cervical biopsy cone with one edge of the knife and the other half with the other edge. Edges 162 and 163 are also sharpened. The edges 160 and 161 are approximately thirty degrees to each other. Edges 162 and 163 are also approximately thirty degrees to each other and on each side of an opening 127. This makes it possible for the surgeon to complete the biopsy without shifting his body. The opening 127 and end 114 of handle 112 are similar to the corresponding parts of the handle 12 in FIGS. 1 to 6.

The double ended handle shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 has a knife on each end. With this double ended knife, a surgeon may cut half of the conical biopsy from the cervical canal of the uterus and then he may reverse the knife and cut the other half of the conical biopsy without putting his body in an inconvenient and off balanced position for this operation. Therefore, the two knives on opposite ends of the biopsy knife cooperate to accomplish a unitary result in cutting a single biopsy without having the surgeon unbalance and inconvenience his position which might result in injury to the patient.

The foregoing specification sets forth the invention in its preferred practical forms but the structure shown is capable of modification within a range of equivalents without departing from the invention which is to be understood is broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claim.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

A biopsy instrument for cutting a conical shaped biopsy specimen from the walls of the cervix comprising a handle,

thin blade supporting tip means extending from said handle,

thin blade means,

and means on said tip means fixing said thin blade means to said tip means,

said blade means having two cutting edges, one on each side of said blade means,

said blade means being disposed in a plane and said handle being inclined laterally at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to said plane,

said blade means being elongated and having point means on the distal end thereof,

each side of said blade means adjacent said point means being sharpened,

said sharpened sides being disposed at approximately thirty degrees to each other and generally symmetrical to said blade means,

one said cutting edge being disposed on the right hand side of said handle and the other at the left hand side whereby a surgeon can cut half said biopsy specimen with one said cutting edge and half with the other.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 201,782 3/1878 Helck 3O353 1,639,996 8/1927 Groff 128-405 OTHER REFERENCES Y Standard Surgical Instruments: Kny-Sheerer Corporation of America, Jan 21, 1930. Only pp. 3041, 3207, 5183 and 5184 relied upon.

RICHARD A. GAUDET, Primary Examiner. 7

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Examiner.

W. E. KAMM, H. R. GOLDBERG, Assistant Examiners;

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