Inlet Medical, Inc.

Rodger D Thomason

Mark J Legome

Neil H Naves

James E Carter

William P Conley

Jose M Velez

Exercise device

A surgical instrument, guide, and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue. A tip of a surgical instrument in a standard suture-/needle-driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip is provided. Insertion of the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision begins the wound-closing procedure. The suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide. The suture is recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion. The tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide. The suture is pulled outside the wound, providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision. The guide is insertable within the wound to be closed and guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide for optimum wound closure. Alternative embodiments of the guide include providing a slot through which non-linear surgical instruments may pass through an open or enclosed passageway.

Insertable suture passing grasping probe and methodology for using same

A manual dilating trocar uses an automatically retracting stylet. The stylet is threaded through a dilating obturator which is, in turn, inserted into a trocar sheath. A spring near the handle of the stylet serves to urge the stylet cutting tip into a retracted position so that it can be held within the dilating tip of the dilating obturator. When a surgeon seeks to pierce a body cavity so as to perform laparoscopic surgery or the like, the handle is engaged to overcome the bias of the spring so that the stylet's cutting tip is exposed. Upon piercing of the exterior body-cavity layer, the stylet may be withdrawn to ensure that no underlying organs or tissue are damaged by the sharp stylet tip. Once the dilation of the initial stylet wound has been completed and the trocar sheath has been introduced into the body cavity, the dilating obturator may also be removed from within the trocar sheath in order to provide a channel into the body cavity. In an alternative embodiment, the stylet may be spring biased to expose the cutting tip, and a lock pin may be used so that energy stored in the spring can be brought to bear upon the stylet and to deliver a sharp cutting thrust of the stylet tip against any tough or obstructive tissue.

Retractable disposable tip reusable trocar obturator

A surgical instrument, guide and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to accurately passing suture material through a guide into tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision, wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip from the guide, and recovered by using the guide to redirect the tip and puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture through the guide, and outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision, and wherein a guide insertable within the wound to be closed guides the surgical instrument at a predetermined angle from the longitudinal axis of the guide.

Insertable suture grasping probe guide, and methodology for using same

A surgical instrument and method capable of being used for closure of peritoneum fascia, occlusion of bleeding vessels such as inferior epigastric, and for all uses related to passing of suture through tissue with the tip of the surgical instrument in a standard suture/needle driving position with a sharp tip that opens and closes with the surgeon grasping suture material with the sharp tip and inserting the tip/suture through tissue until the tip is seen through the peritoneum by direct vision wherein the suture is released by opening and withdrawing the tip and recovered by puncturing the tissue opposite the first point of insertion wherein the tip grasps the suture and pulls the suture outside the wound providing for rapid closure of the surgical incision.

Growing community of inventors

Los Angeles, CA, United States of America

Rodger D Thomason