Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Karim A Tarabein

Gregory Scott Fischer

Cory T Brolliar

Cameron W Downey

Jesse Kauffman

Thomas Carroll

Zachary R Boyer

Kevin O'Brien

Benjamin G Mart

Loris Fichera

Kenneth Stafford

A surgical rongeur device has an interchangeable, locking tip at a cutting end for engageable replacement with a variety of cutting tips for facilitating sterilization and blade changes. A detachable linkage between a handle portion and an interchangeable cutting tip (tip) provides a strong connection for actuation by the handle end but allowing for tip replacement via slidable, lateral displacement of the tip. The tip includes a blade and footplate formed from an amorphous metal for longevity and strength advantages. A handle provides a lever to actuate the tip from slidable communication via the detachable linkage. An interlocking member extends longitudinally from the handle into an internal slot on the tip for locking the tip by preventing lateral movement out of alignment with the handle. The aligned tip is responsive to actuation from the handle via a rail for disposing the blade longitudinally against the footplate.

Surgical cutting apparatus

An articulating, steerable surgical probe includes an elongated, flexible transfer tube adapted for insertion into a surgical region for endoscopic laryngeal laser surgery. A lumen is defined by an interior of the transfer tube, and a laser fiber extends through the lumen for delivering a therapeutic laser signal to a distal end of the laser fiber. An articulating tip at the distal end of the transfer tube is responsive to articulating forces from a retractable tether for directing the treatment probe in a direction of the articulation, and a linkage to the tether from a control module effects controlled retraction of the tether for articulating the tip towards a surgical target, such that the articulating tip imposing a bend radius based on a signal loss through the laser fiber.

Flexible articulating surgical probe

Growing community of inventors

Cleveland, OH, United States of America

Karim A Tarabein