The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 26, 1988
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1986
Bard B Betz, Reno, NV (US);
Daniel J Conley, Oceanside, CA (US);
Larry Blankenship, Boulder, CO (US);
Stephen J Krienick, San Diego, CA (US);
Bradley J Denny, San Marcos, CA (US);
Charles T Bovey, Escondido, CA (US);
Jeffrey P Castleberry, San Diego, CA (US);
Vitalmetrics, Inc., San Diego, CA (US);
Abstract
A surgical instrument and support unit for enabling a user using one hand to probe an incision and illuminate, irrigate, and aspirate the incision. The surgical instrument has a probe with illumination, irrigation, and aspiration ports on the end. The probe is coupled to a handle having controls for the irrigation and aspiration functions. Light from a high intensity lamp in the handle is transmitted through an optical fiber to the illumination port. A heat sink enclosing the lamp draws heat away from the lamp and transfers the heat to the aspirated fluid passing through the heat sink. The support unit is controlled by a microcomputer and provides an electrical supply for the lamp and a pressurized fluid supply for irrigation. The sources of the irrigation fluid is a standard hospital flexible bag. A bladder inflated by an air pump pressurizes the flexible bag. The pump is also utilized to deflate the bladder to allow rapid changing of the flexible bag during a surgical procedure.