Concept, Inc.

Richards Medical Company

F Barry Bays

Arthur F Trott

Sam R Marchand

Richard B Caspari

Frederick W Rexroth

Richard L Dunn

Richard W Treharne

A surgical cutting instrument includes movable and stationary jaws at a distal end of an elongate probe formed of an outer tubular member and an inner tubular member rotatable therein, a cam and cam follower at the distal end for translating rotary motion of the inner member to pivotal motion of the movable jaw to cut bodily tissue. The stationary jaw has an opening in the bottom thereof to allow cut bodily tissue to exit to a location external of the surgical cutting instrument, and a suction passage along the inner member terminates at a mouth disposed relative to the cam such that the cam contacts and comminutes cut bodily tissue before the tissue enters the mouth and is aspirated through the suction passage.

Surgical cutting instrument

An apparatus for repairing in vivo torn cartilaginous or other bodily tissue, particularly torn meniscus tissue during arthroscopic surgery, employs a repair tack of biodegradable material chosen to have a degradation time in excess of the required healing time for the tissue. The repair tack has a shaft portion with a longitudinal bore and a grip portion adapted for releasable engagement by a hollow applicator. In one embodiment the grip portion of the tack is a cross bar, at the proximal end of the shaft, which fits into an open-sided slot at the forward end of the applicator.

Repair tack for bodily tissue

A suturing instrument for use in arthroscopic surgery includes a hollow needle for penetrating tissue to be sutured within the body while the tissue is clamped between relatively movable jaws, and a suture feed mechanism for feeding suture material through the hollow needle such that the jaws can be opened and the suturing instrument withdrawn from the body pulling the free end segment of the suture material with the instrument. A knot can be tied in the suture material externally of the body and the knot moved back into the body at a position adjacent the tissue.

Suturing instrument

An electrolyte fluid purging electrosurgical device for use with an electrode holder connected to an electrical power source and to a source of a non-electrically conductive fluid and a method of use are disclosed. The fluid purging electrosurgical device enables electrosurgery at a surgical site where an area proximate the surgical site is surrounded by an electrically conductive fluid such as saline irrigation fluids, body fluids, certain injectables and the like. The fluid purging electrosurgical device comprises an electrode shaft with an electrode shaft connector electrically connecting a first end of the electrode shaft to an electrode holder. An insulating material provides electrical insulation between a second end of the electrode shaft and the electrode holder. The insulating material is positioned on the electrode shaft to expose a portion of the second end of the electrode shaft to define an electrode tip to provide electrical current to the surgical site. A duct means is connected to the source of the non-electrically conductive fluid and extends along the electrode shaft to deliver the non-electrically conductive fluid to a region immediately proximate the electrode tip to displace the electrically conductive fluid at the position of the electrode tip in the surgical site to enable electrosurgical treatment thereat.

Electrolyte purging electrode tip

Electrosurgical method using an electrically conductive fluid

A method of suturing tissue in the body particularly useful in arthroscopic surgery requiring only small incisions or portals for insertion of diagnostic and surgical instruments includes the steps of inserting an instrument in the body having a distal end carrying relatively movable jaws with openings therein, manipulating the jaws to penetrate the tissue to be sutured and to move the jaws to positions adjacent each other with the openings therein aligned, feeding suture material through the openings in the jaws, securing ends of the suture material to form a knot and moving the knot to a position adjacent the tissue.

Method of arthroscopic suturing of tissue

This invention is an ossicular replacement prosthesis made of porous polymeric material with a metal core of the type that includes a head portion for fitting against the tympanic membrane and a shaft for bridging the middle ear to provide conduction of sound to the middle ear.

Metal core ossicular replacement prosthesis

A method for repairing in vivo torn cartilaginous or other bodily tissue, particularly torn meniscus tissue during arthroscopic surgery, employs a repair tack of biodegradable material chosen to have a degradation time in excess of the required healing time for the tissue. The repair tack has a shaft portion with a longitudinal bore and a grip portion adapted for releasable engagement by a hollow applicator. In one embodiment the grip portion of the tack is a cross bar, at the proximal end of the shaft, which fits into an open-sided slot at the forward end of the applicator. A needle passes through the hollow applicator and tack bore to project from the distal end of the tack shaft. With the tack supported in the slot and the needle passing through the stem, the needle and tack can be inserted into the joint cavity through a portal in the skin or through an insertion cannula. The sharpened needle point is placed in contact with the torn tissue and force is applied to the holder and the needle to cause the needle and the tack to penetrate the tissue to a desired depth. The point of the needle is then withdrawn into the axial opening of the applicator and the cross bar is displaced from the slot, thereby leaving the tack firmly secured in the tissue.

Method of joining torn parts of bodily tissue in vivo with a

Arthroscopic suturing instrument

An apparatus for repairing in vivo torn cartilaginous or other bodily tissue, particularly torn meniscus tissue during arthroscopic surgery, employs a repair tack of biodegradable material chosen to have a degradation time in excess of the required healing time for the tissue. The repair tack has a shaft portion with a longitudinal bore and a grip portion adapted for releasable engagement by a hollow applicator. In one embodiment the grip portion of the tack is a cross bar, at the proximal end of the shaft, which fits into an open-sided slot at the forward end of the applicator. A needle passes through the hollow applicator and tack bore to project from the distal end of the tack shaft.

Tack and applicator for treating torn bodily material in vivo

Surgical instrument cover

A prosthetic device formed of a biodegradable material and useful as a ventilation tube for insertion between the middle ear and the outer ear. The device includes a shaft with an axial passage, an inner flange and an outer flange. At least a portion of the outer surface of the shaft is tapered, with the taper increasing from the inner to the outer flange. The larger diameter outer flange and any attached portion of the shaft are, therefore, forced outwardly when the tapered portion of the shaft is in contact with animal tissue biodegrades before other portions of the prosthesis.

Biodegradable prosthetic device

A vacuum sleeve is disclosed for removing severed tissue from a surgical site. The vacuum sleeve is used in conjunction with a surgical appliance having a cutting element and the vacuum sleeve is connected to a vacuum source. The vacuum sleeve includes an elongated body member having a distal and a proximal end. The body member defines an internal passageway which extends between the distal and proximal ends of the body member. The internal passageway removably receives therein the surgical appliance and the distal end of the body member defines a aperture such that when the surgical appliance is disposed within the internal passageway, the cutting element of the surfical appliance extends through the aperture thereby enabling the cutting element to sever tissue from the surgical site. The internal passageway is connected to a vacuum source such that in use of the surgical appliance, when tissue is severed from the surgical site, the severed tissue is drawn from the surgical site through the aperture and along the internal passageway towards the source of vacuum.

Growing community of inventors

Seminole, FL, United States of America

F Barry Bays